A Twist of Fate
by Stardust Firebolt
Summary: What if Holly's father had never died? As a sinister plan unfolds, Holly finds herself tangled in a web of lies and betrayal. Then when she finally thinks she's made the right choice, she finds herself back to square one. (Completed)
1. Too Many Emotions

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A Twist of Fate

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What if Holly's father had never died? As a sinister plan unfolds, Holly finds herself tangled in a web of jealousy and betrayal. Then when she finally thinks she's made the right choice, she finds herself back to square one. Can Holly still believe in the power of friendship, and the power of...love? (Holly/Trouble/Artemis) 

Author's Note: Nope, not some sappy love story. At least I'll try not to make it be one. I have nothing against sappy love stories, but sometimes too much mush makes me all nauseous anyway. (Hey! Alliteration of 'm'! Hahaha..) I'm a Holly/Artemis fan (check out the chemistry in the book! Yea!) so this story will tend to incline towards that idea. I'm sorry if you don't like the idea of Holly and Artemis together, but since you're *actually* reading this, try to enjoy it anyway. It's not just a love story anyway. You could say it's an story about finding yourself, and all you ever wanted, set in the backdrop of adventure and suspense. By the way, if you're a Harry Potter fan, check out my other stories. This is my first Artemis Fowl fic by the way, so pardon me if I'm unfamiliar with this territory and end up sounding silly...-_-'

Oops, I'm rambling again. Let's get on with the story! And don't forget to review! *shuts up*

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Chapter One: Too Many Emotions 

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Suburban area in Haven, Kelp residence 

Christmas Eve, approximately 8 p.m. Mud Man time

Year 2013

Holly picked up the wineglass and looked at its contents with distaste. She had never been a wine-drinker, but this was hers, Trouble's, and Ophelia's first Christmas party as a family, and she wanted to make it memorable for Ophelia by pleasing the guests as they drank wine and made merry. 

Closing her eyes and wrinkling her nose, she downed the white wine in one gulp. Her eyes immediately flew wide open; she choked and sputtered as the strong, overly sweet smell of grapes overtook her senses and numbed her consciousness. Much to her embarrassment, the guests began to laugh at her, adding insult to injury.

Even Trouble chuckled. Gently taking her by the shoulders, he steered her away from the guests as she struggled to regain her composure. Holly stiffened as Trouble snuggled against her back, his hands rubbing her arms up and down, as if to soothe away her discomfort.

"You didn't _have _to drink the wine, you know. No one was forcing you," Trouble told her.

"Don't touch me," she replied icily.

Trouble dropped his arms, clearly piqued by her reaction. He whirled her around fiercely, so that she faced him.

"What's wrong with you? I'm just trying to make you feel better," he said, looking slightly annoyed.

Holly looked away, so she wouldn't lose herself in those melting eyes of his. She would not give in to his charm. She had to deny herself that pleasure. She had promised herself that; once she had found out the ugly truth about Trouble. She appreciated Trouble's concern for her, but she hated having to look into those beautiful eyes and remind herself of the stupid mistake she had made. She still regretted it to this very day.

Thinking about the past only upset her more. Holly's hazel eyes glittered with anger now, as her heart berated itself for leading her to the misery she was now in. She wished she hadn't listened to Trouble, she wished she hadn't given in to her insecurities and let her choice ruin her life. She wished she hadn't been blinded by her lack of trust and became a victim of her own choices.

"Thanks for your concern, but I don't need it. You know that I only put up with you because of Ophelia," Holly continued coldly. 

She turned to leave Trouble, but he yanked her arm and pulled her back, so that her back smashed against his torso. Trouble spun her around so that he looked directly in her eyes. Holly tried to look away, but Trouble caught her firmly by the waist. He moved one hand to her head and pushed it so that her head lay on his shoulder. Music began to play, and awkwardly, Trouble tried to dance with her, but Holly barely moved, a sign that she didn't even want to be near him.

"Damn you, Holly! You're my _wife. _Why can't you love me like I love you?" Trouble blurted out.

The words brought a sudden rush of feelings that tugged at her heartstrings, but Holly ignored it. Instead, she said furiously, "Let me go."

"The music's playing. We're _supposed _to dance. I can't just 'let you go', the guests are watching. They'd think something was wrong."

"Shut up, Trouble," was all Holly said. She knew he was right, and that angered her. He wasn't supposed to be right. Ever since he had betrayed her.

"Ooh, touchy. We're _married,_ Holly. We're _husband _and _wife._"

"As if I needed reminding," Holly said scathingly.

"So get over that _idiot_ Artemis. I know you've been thinking of him, and ever since you _started _thinking of him, you've suddenly become estranged from me. Holly, he's been nothing but a piece of trash to you. He doesn't deserve you. Get over whatever you had with him in the past. You have me now. _End _of _story_."

Holly wanted to slap Trouble there and then. The hypocrite! She detested people like that. She wrenched herself out of his grip and pushed him away, backing away from him. Trouble stood there with a bemused expression on his face. 

Holly narrowed her eyes as she spat at him, "No! I _won't _get over it! I _never_ will. You know I'd _never _give you half as much as the _love _I had, and still have, for Artemis. For that, you're just _bloody _jealous! You _know _what you _did_, Trouble! You ruined everything - and for that I'd _hate_ you forever."

The words were like vicious weapons, intended to hurt the one who destroyed her happiness, as well as every fibre of her soul and the love she once felt for people. She didn't know if she could love anyone else anymore.

Well, except for Artemis. Only he could rekindle the passion within her.

Leaving a furious Trouble behind, Holly flounced out of the huge party room and into the spacious gardens outside, where she met Ophelia and her fairy playmate.

"Where are you going, Mummy?" Ophelia asked, flashing a child-like smile at her.

Holly ruffled her _daughter's _hair and replied, "Just needed some fresh air. Why don't you and your little friend go back into the house? It's getting late for little children to be playing in the garden."

Ophelia and her friend obeyed, pattering towards the house while Holly shivered in the cold night air. Yes, it _was _getting late, she thought as she looked up into the night sky. But she had used that excuse mainly for some privacy as she sorted out her thoughts.

Suburban Haven was a beautiful place to be at night. As a sense of magic hovered in the air, interspersed with the beauty of the stars, it truly was a breathtaking scenario, even for a fairy like Holly, who had been living there since she married Trouble. Holly wandered among the flowers, and she almost smiled as she touched the roses she and Trouble had lovingly cultivated before she changed her attitude towards him. But she stopped short. She had _almost _admitted that she _loved _Trouble - and she did, she _used _to - but not anymore. It would be wrong to continue loving him after what he had done to her. His betrayal. In addition, the one person she ever _really _gave her heart to was Artemis. Bizarre as it may sound, she felt that the person who had truly ever understood her as a friend, and later on a lover, was Artemis.

The rustling noise of someone moving startled Holly and she turned, half-curious and half-frightened. She edged closer to the garden wall where the noise had come from. A tree grew near to the wall; its dense leaves the perfect obstruction for hiding anything remotely dangerous. She moved nearer to it, getting closer and closer and closer when suddenly...

"Fancy meeting you again, beautiful," someone spoke. It was a male voice. A stranger, Holly thought. Holly's head jerked up towards the voice, but she saw nothing. Chills began to run down her spine.

"Who are you?" She called out into the night.

"Tsk, tsk, Captain Short. How could you forget?"

That voice! No wonder it was so familiar! Only one person called her by that name, in such an affectionate tone. Only _he _had the sarcasm to call her Captain Short, but he said the name with such love and affection that it nearly broke her heart every time she heard it.

"_Artemis?_" She whispered, almost afraid to speak the name; afraid she was only hallucinating.

Almost immediately, a shadow passed over her as someone jumped down from the wall near her, landing on the grass, which cushioned the impact. As the figure stood up, the moonlight illuminated the dark hair of the person's head, emphasizing the fact that he was, in fact, Artemis Fowl. And aged 24 at that, if Holly's calculations weren't wrong.

"I knew your memory couldn't be all that bad, for weren't you the smartest Recon officer, Captain Short?" Artemis stepped out of the shadows and in front of her. "It's been years, Captain...but you still look as attractive as ever." He reached out to touch her face, but suddenly decided against it. "Oh yeah - I forgot - I should call you Mrs Kelp now, shouldn't I?" He almost sounded bitter.

Holly cringed at the name.

"Things have changed, Artemis," Holly said simply, settling for just being content with his presence and deciding against telling him just how much she missed him. It was far too much for words to say.

"Yeah," was all Artemis said. That was all right. Artemis never said much - he usually saved his words for sarcastic remarks. Mainly because he was a genius, and had thought himself superior to others. Furthermore, he had had a childhood that was hardly of the norm. Yet Holly knew, inside, he did have a heart of gold. She was sorry she had ever misjudged him in the first place. Artemis leaned against the brick wall of the garden and merely stared at her.

"Why are you here?" Holly asked.

"I'm not supposed to be here?" Artemis countered.

"Technically, no. There's still that tension between you and the People and also because of..." Holly trailed off. Somehow she just couldn't bring herself to talk about the past. There was just too much unresolved tension.

"...Why are you here?" She repeated.

Artemis shrugged, looked at his shoes, and looked at her again. "I don't know. I presume...I kind of...missed you."

Holly's heart twisted at the words, and on impulse, reached forward to hug him, but restrained herself. Like Artemis had tried to touch her face before, but couldn't, there was just this barrier between them now. It seemed as if neither one of them knew how to overcome it, and weren't doing anything about it. _If only _she wasn't Mrs Kelp!

It was too late now...how foolish she had been....!


	2. Reminiscence of the Past

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A Twist of Fate

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What if Holly's father had never died? As a sinister plan unfolds, Holly finds herself tangled in a web of jealousy and betrayal. Then when she finally thinks she's made the right choice, she finds herself back to square one. Can Holly still believe in the power of friendship, and the power of...love? (Holly/Trouble/Artemis) 

Author's Note: I realized I forgot the disclaimer the previous chapter. Oh well, you know it all belongs to Eoin Colfer. Only the plot is mine. (Yay! I own something! -_-)

Things may get confusing, so if you are, just email me at stardust_firebolt@hotmail.com or shattered_illusions02@yahoo.com and I'll try my best to explain without giving away too much :) This chapter, by the way, is Holly's flashback of seven years ago, where everything started. Everything from this chapter onwards will be her flashback, until I write up to the present. (In my story, that is, year 2013.) Sorry about the confusing dates. I figured I had to put the years there, so people could calculate how much time actually went by. Also, I tend to ramble while I'm writing, so bear with me if I give too much description and not enough action. I'm still a progressing writer after all. Please leave a review!

By the way, everything is in Holly's perspective unless stated.

Oh, and I didn't expect reviews! Thank you for reviewing! You're gonna make me cry...

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Chapter Two: Reminiscence of the Past

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Rural Area In Haven

Year 2006

"Holly, I think this is it," a male voice boomed out beside her, and Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit jumped.

"Geez, Commander! Do you always have to shout without giving me a warning?" Holly grumbled when she had recovered from her slight shock. She whirled around to face her superior officer, the one and only Julius Root, famed for his ruddy face. 

She watched Commander Root flash a grin at her and retort, "What, do you want me to write out a notice for you? 'To Holly: Just to inform you that on Saturday at six in the evening I may very briefly shout at you outside the large dilapidated house in the rural area of Haven. Please be ready to anticipate such an event and respond accordingly.'" Root snorted with derision, before turning back to the house they were now at.

Holly fumed silently at her commander's witticism, and wisely decided not to reply, or they could be out here for ages. Instead, she turned to Captain Trouble Kelp, who was currently powering up his Neutrino 2000. She gave a glance at the house, which throughout the ages, had reduced to become a crumbling structure hardly appealing enough for anyone to stay in. Paint was peeling off the walls and ivy clambered up the walls for growth. Overgrown weeds were abundant in the deserted garden, and Holly felt a shiver pass through her veins before her fearless alter-ego took over. Even though she hated to admit it, the place gave her the creeps, but a job was a job, and the LEP had sent her here, together with Root and Trouble, to conduct their usual raid for criminals.

"Can't believe what we'll find in there," Holly muttered, making sure her weaponry was with her. Root gave her a contemptuous smirk. "Afraid, Holly?" he teased. Holly didn't trust herself to answer. Goading her was one of Root's ways to de-stress, and although she hated the idea, she had to admit that her commander became much more pleasant to be with after that.

Ignoring her commander, Holly turned to Trouble, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. She had to empathize. Seeing the house had given her chills down her spine, but she knew that they had to barge in, as there was a high possibility that criminal activity could be taking place there. After all, no one would ever suspect that crooks would be hiding out in such a decrepit place like this. Gulping, Holly held her buzz baton for strength and waited for Commander Root to give the go.

"All right, Captain Short, Captain Kelp. Let's move in," Root ordered, before waving over the seven other LEP men who had come with them.

Holly followed close behind as Commander Root barged through the door. The sound reverberated around the house, and Holly tried not to look at the moth-infested sofa next to her. A foul stench hung in the house, and Holly had the urge to pinch her nostrils. The floorboards creaked as the LEP officers moved across them, and Holly felt the tendrils of trepidation creeping all over her body. Somehow she felt something was wrong in this house. Somehow she felt a sinister presence.

She watched as Commander Root trudged about the house for a while, opening doors and blasting fairy laser beams into empty rooms. Holly was on the alert for any strange behaviour as she ventured further and further into the dark house, the cobwebs eerily stretched across the doorposts and dusty windows adding to the scariness of the house.

She stepped on something and immediately aimed her Neutrino 2000 at the object and shot. The light of the laser lit up the object and she realized it was just a rat. Berating herself for her cowardice, Holly walked further on and came to a room that Root hadn't opened.

She knew there was no one behind her, but that's how Holly was - she loved to do dangerous things on her own. Breaking all the rules and getting into a tight fix were connotations with Holly, and as curiosity got the better of her, she opened the door and took a look around.

The first thing that caught her attention was the fact that there was a person sitting on the floor. As far as Holly could see, it was a male figure, and he sat with his head down, his facial features covered by unkempt hair. Dust gathered around him, and Holly wondered if he had ever moved, ever noticed that he was all alone in this spooky house.

No time to take risks. What if he was a criminal? Almost immediately, Holly heaved the Neutrino 2000 onto her shoulder and prepared to shoot, but something stopped her. Something was speaking in her mind.

"Holly....Holly...." the voice whispered.

"Who are you?" shouted Holly wildly, the Neutrino 2000 balancing erratically on her shoulder. 

The voice in her head croaked, "....You know me...I am who you are. You are who I am. You are my life, my blood..."

Holly stared at the male figure before her. Was he speaking to her? Irrationally, and thoroughly spooked out, she began to shoot around the room, everywhere, trying to kill off that voice, and pulling the trigger, she aimed at the figure.

"....Are you sure you want to kill me?" the voice spoke again, taunting her, mocking her.

"Get out of here!" she yelled, a gnawing sense of dread creeping into her mind.

Then, the man looked up, his eyes giving off a strange glow in the shadow of the room. Although it was light outside, darkness reigned the house as the lights failed to work.

The man stared at her, and Holly dropped her Neutrino 2000, almost as if the man had made her do it. Holly's mouth dropped open.

"Remember me, Holly?" the voice spoke again, yet she only heard it in her head. The man's lips twisted into a precarious smile.

"No....no, it can't be you..._It can't be!_" Holly screamed, tears springing to her eyes. She fell to her knees, overwhelmed with emotion.

"Believe it, Holly....believe me....I loved you....you loved me....believe me..." the voice whispered.

"No...." Holly shook her head furiously. "This is unbelievable..._NO!_" she shrieked.

The voice got angry. "_Believe me_, Holly..._believe me..."_

Holly clutched her head, trying to get rid of the voice. Shaking her head furiously, she refused to see the man, and refused to hear the voice. This couldn't be true...it couldn't be true..

_"You fool!" _the voice was screeching now, _"I am real!"_

"I SAW YOU DIE!" she shouted hysterically, gathering up the courage to look into the man's face and scream. He still sat there as still as stone, his face beaming away like a lamppost. There was something contemptuous, and weird, about his smile though. It didn't seem welcoming.

_"Am I dead, Holly? Am I dead?" _the voice screamed back. "Now, believe me...Come to me.."

Holly felt herself being pulled towards him, but categorically refused to believe the man. It couldn't be true....this was too spooky....what was going on?!

"Let me go!" she screamed.

"Holly...don't fight...."

"Let me go....let me go...."

"I love you, Holly...don't you?"

"I do...I do....you're just not real..."

"Trust me...I am real..."

"Let me go....stop reminding me of the pain....stop...stop...stop!!"

Then everything went black.

~*~

"Holly? HOLLY! Wake up! Don't scare me!"

_Someone....someone's calling me..._

"Holly....can you hear me? Holly!"

_...Must...get up..._

"Holly! _D'Arvit_, let her be all right....please...Holly...! Holly...answer me!"

Holly felt her eyelids gently flutter open. A shaft of white light blindingly hit her in the eyes, and immediately, she shut her eyes again, her eyes unused to the brightness. She felt someone gently nudging her, and tentatively, she tried to open her eyes. Soon, an image of a concerned Trouble swam into view, standing next to a very red-faced Root.

Holly tried to speak. Her throat felt as dry as sandpaper. "Where...where am I?" she asked.

Trouble sighed with relief. "She's awake."

The crimson in Root's face gradually faded. He must have been worried about her. Funny that. "Holly...do you have _any _idea how _brainless _you were to enter a room alone?!" he screamed.

Holly sighed. Trust her to think that there was a touch of humanity in Root. She had to expect that from her commander though - a scolding the first thing she was conscious.

"Don't yell at her, she's only just woken up," Trouble retorted. He helped Holly to sit upright. "Feel better?" he asked, smiling.

Holly groaned. Her head felt so heavy, and not to mention, groggy. "I feel like my head's been stuffed full with squashed flies," she replied.

Trouble laughed. "Oh, Holly," he remarked.

Holly managed a weak smile. She knew Trouble was just trying to make her feel better. After all, he believed that laughter is the best medicine.

Commander Root tried to disguise his concern for Holly again, and merely demanded to know what had caused Holly to be in this state. "You know, Holly...when we found you, you were unconscious. I want to know, what happened in the room, Holly?"

Holly's face fell at the question, and her head began to throb as memories came rushing back. She looked at the ground, suddenly fascinated by it. She realized she was back safely in downtown Haven, in her house to be precise. How they had gotten there, she didn't know.

"Commander....she's not well. Couldn't you have left your questions for later?" she could hear Trouble protest.

"No...it's okay, Trouble...it's just...I'm not sure myself," Holly whispered.

Commander Root looked curiously at her. "Maybe if you discuss with us...we could figure it out? No one else is here, only Trouble and I."

Holly shook her head gently. "It's hard to explain...maybe...maybe I'm going crazy...maybe I'm seeing things..."

"I don't think you're going mad, Holly," Trouble said seriously. She felt Trouble squeezing her hand gently, encouraging her, and a sense of comfort filled her senses. She knew she had to tell them. It wouldn't be right to keep it to herself.

"Well?" Root prompted.

Holly took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Well...Commander...I think...I think I saw my father."


	3. Illusions

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A Twist of Fate

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What if Holly's father had never died? As a sinister plan unfolds, Holly finds herself tangled in a web of jealousy and betrayal. Then when she finally thinks she's made the right choice, she finds herself back to square one. Can Holly still believe in the power of friendship, and the power of...love? (Holly/Trouble/Artemis) 

Author's Note: REVIEWS!Oh, oh, thank you! I'm so touched! There's nothing better than knowing your story is appreciated. So...hey...I'm back again! I hope the last two chapters weren't too dark. I know the story doesn't have the happiest beginning, but I promise there will be humour later on in this story, to relieve the tension. Right now, the first few chapters are rather angsty and have a pretty oppressive tone, but don't worry, it won't be oppressive for too long. And hey, I just realized Holly seems to be overreacting and have rather exaggerated reactions to the possibility that her father may be alive, but hey, I think it _would _be pretty creepy if someone you loved died and came back to life, since we all know that's scientifically impossible. So I hope it's not too out-of-character. Okay, enough of my long, rambling author's note, let's get on with the story!

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Chapter Three: Illusions

Root and Trouble stared pointedly at Holly, and feeling uncomfortable, Holly bowed her head. She could still feel the intensity of their gaze boring into her head, doubting her words, not believing, not knowing what to say. An awkward silence hung in the air, as Holly's statement echoed in their ears, in their minds.

Finally, Root broke the silence. Holly could hear him clear his throat.

"But..."

Holly knew it. She knew the 'but' would come.

Root continued. "But Holly...your father's...your father's _dead."_

Holly did not look up. "....I know. That's why I think I'm going crazy," she whispered, a lump rising in her throat. She wanted so much to believe it was true, but she knew she had only been hallucinating.

Trouble spoke next. "Holly...why don't you take a break from work? You sound awfully tired."

Holly's head snapped back up and she glared at him disbelievingly. Take a break from work because of this? Was he crazy?

"No..._never! _That would be so...ludicrous!" Holly said. She loved her job, she really did. Why would she risk taking a vacation, only to come back and find that her position had been given to another? She already knew the odds were against her, since she was female and all.

Trouble stroked Holly's hair, as if he really thought she was already losing her sanity. "Holly...you hardly rest. It's time you left some work to us for a change, you've been hogging all the work," he said gently, smiling.

Holly stared at him. To even suggest rest meant that he didn't trust her to be sane enough. "Hey...come on, Trouble...lighten up. I just hallucinated a bit, and now you're asking me to leave the LEP to take a rest?" The concept sounded foreign to her.

Root looked at Holly again. "You know, Holly, Trouble's right."

Holly's eyes darted from Trouble to Root. This wasn't fair.

"Imagine. If you're really hallucinating, how can the LEP trust you to send you on an assignment? You might have some illusion and make it worse, like injuring an innocent bystander when you're meant to shoot a criminal. Furthermore, you seem worn out and exhausted. You even fainted on a mission. I don't mean to be harsh but....wouldn't it be better for you to take a break, recuperate, and come back absolutely fit and healthy?"

"Am I not absolutely fit and healthy?" Holly felt the beginnings of tears form.

Root sighed impatiently. "Don't be stubborn, Holly. It's for your own good and you know it."

"I wished I hadn't said anything!" Holly blurted out.

"This has nothing to do with you saying anything or not. The fact that you seem so..._tired _recently..." Root trailed off.

_You just don't know what it's like to worry every day about whether the job you love will still be there or not..._ thought Holly.

Trouble sat next to Holly, draping his arm across her shoulders and whispering soothingly in her ear, "Holly, if it's about your job, we'll put in a good word for you. No one's perfect, no one can go on forever without stopping to take a rest. So just concentrate on resting up and you'll be fine."

"Yes, Holly, we're all worried. Don't worry us any further. We can't concentrate on assignments if we're worrying about your health," Root added.

Holly looked at her lap, her tears threatening to spill over. Perhaps she was overreacting. Nevertheless, she felt unwanted, distrusted, and useless. When in her life had she felt so useless? Not since the Artemis Fowl affair.

"You....you can't do this to me," Holly said softly, biting her lip. She would not cry. She would not cry in front of two well-known LEP officers. Imagine the embarrassment they'd put her through. _Captain Holly Short isn't so brave and strong after all, _she almost heard Root snicker in her mind. She wasn't sure if her overbearing commander would even resort to that, but from the way he had treated her...

"I'm fine, damn it!" Holly yelled, trying to drive the point home. "I'm not going crazy!"

She watched as Trouble and Root gave each other another knowing look, and her heart welled up with seething fury. This was so unfair!

Trouble patted Holly's shoulder. "You know what, Holly? Get some rest. We'll talk about this tomorrow." He seemed tired of arguing with her.

Root gave her a grim smile. "Yes, Holly, we'll see you again. Meanwhile get some rest, and report for work tomorrow." The look on his face clearly told her differently.

Holly looked at her lap, refusing to reply. She was afraid she might say something wrong, that would further reinforce their belief that she was going mad.

"See you, Holly," she heard Trouble say.

Falling backwards, Holly thought for a while, before her brain screamed for sleep and she finally succumbed to the welcoming arms of dreamland.

~*~

"Captain Short, reporting for duty!" Holly raised her hand in a salute, feeling more jovial than she had been last night. Sleep did seem to do miracles.

The young LEP officer at the door grinned back at her. "Nice to see you again, Holly. You've been out for the past two days!"

_Two days? _thought Holly alarmingly. She hadn't known fainting had had such an adverse effect on her. But then again, there was that issue with her father....Holly shook her head, and refused to think about it anymore. If she did, she might start hallucinating again.

Holly groaned. "Jeez, does _everyone _in the LEP know that I fainted? How embarrassing can things get?"

The LEP officer chuckled. "It's not everyday you see tough cookie Captain Short fainting on a mission."

Holly stuck her tongue out at him before she entered the building. On the way, she encountered Foaly, who smiled pleasantly at her.

"What are you doing here, Holly?" he asked.

Holly gave an amused smile. "Well, I work here, don't I?"

"Oh!" Foaly exclaimed, and Holly noticed his face fall.

"What is it?" Holly narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

She watched as Foaly scratched his head. "Er...well...didn't Julius tell you?"

Holly's smile began to get tight. "Tell me what, Foaly?"

"I thought he popped over to your house last night..." Foaly mumbled.

"I was asleep the whole time. Besides, he asked me to report back for work today," Holly replied.

Foaly sighed. "Oh, Holly....you know Root just wanted to cheer you up."

"Wha-what do you mean?" Holly asked curiously.

Foaly shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Well...Root's told the council that you're taking a break from the LEP for a while."

_"WHAT?!" _Holly shrieked, and the people around her turned to stare.

Foaly cringed. "I knew you wouldn't take it well...Root tried to tell you yesterday. I know that he and Trouble left your house in the afternoon, but he wanted to come back in the evening to tell you, after he had discussed it with the council. But I guess he didn't get the chance - since you were asleep. You better not go up, I don't think Root would be expecting you."

"HOW COULD HE DO THIS TO ME?!" Holly yelled furiously.

"Relax, Holly!" Foaly cried.

"HE CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" Holly screamed.

"It'll be good for you, Holly. Just comply."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! This job is my life, now the council will have something against me! That's why they agreed, they never wanted me in the first place!" Holly spun on her heel and ran out of the building. Her vision was blurry as tears stung her eyes.

_Don't cry, Holly, you're a big girl. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry._

Holly ran to the train station. She needed some fresh air - literally.

~*~

Holly stared moodily out of the window. A couple of tourists sat behind her, excitedly chattering away about something. Holly didn't know where she was heading, but all she knew was that she had to get away from Haven. She didn't want to think about how complicated her life had gotten - all because of her big mouth. She had headed straight for the train station, knowing that without her LEP pass, she couldn't even get onto the pods. But never mind that the trains were slow and mostly filled with enthusiastic tourists she normally couldn't stand (because they were just so excited all the time), she needed time to think. Not that time was running short. She had plenty of it now, now that she wasn't working for the LEP.

_Come on, Holly, don't make it sound so bad. It's not like you're not going back there forever, _Holly tried to comfort herself. She stared stonily out of the window, watching the Underground pass by her in a moderate whirl.

_Oh, who am I kidding?! _Holly thought, and immediately felt her heart twist. She knew she was standing on shaky ground with the council, and it wasn't even her fault.

_Why did I have to hallucinate and then open my big trap about it? _Holly moaned, dropping her head into her hands. Her body jerked as the train stopped, and getting to her feet, Holly exited the train.

She wandered aimlessly above ground, not even bothering to shield, even though she was out of the Underground and on the Mud People's Land. She was so depressed that she couldn't care less if a white lamb came frolicking her way, over the green hills. She sat on a patch of greenery, and picking up a blade of grass, she blew at it, sighing. Life had gotten so boring now - so boring that all she had to do was to sit around.

Why didn't Root understand that working in the LEP would have helped her more, instead of "resting"? Now that she was so bored, who knew what other hallucinations she would have, just to keep herself occupied? She shook her head, wondering when her sanity had become so threadbare.

Immediately, an onslaught of memories came rushing back, filling up every gap in her mind. She watched the movie of that day replay itself, how she had shivered at the sight of the dilapidated house, how she had gone into the room alone. Involuntarily, Holly shivered again.

Those eyes. Those big, hazel eyes, so much like her own. _Were they real?_ Holly wondered. It had sounded so real to her, looked so real...yet she knew she must have imagined it. Nothing could bring her father back, no matter how much she missed him. Nothing could ever bring a dead person back to life.

_Am I really dead though? _a voice, so much like the one on the day she fainted, started up in her voice again.

Holly jumped up to her feet in surprise. "Not again!" she yelled. "Who the heck are you?"

_It's just my imagination. Stop, Holly, stop thinking about it._

It's not your imagination and you know it, the voice retorted. _You are my daughter, and I am your father..._

Holly groaned. "Not that nonsense again? MY FATHER'S DEAD, FOR D'ARVIT'S SAKE!"

_Why won't you believe me? You saw me at the house. Old, frail, starved, but definitely alive. That figure was me. Why won't you believe me?_

"You're just a hallucination. You're not my father. You're not, you're not, you're not!" Holly screamed.

_My precious daughter...I am alive...I am alive...the heroic LEP officer I once was, the one you respected. The one you decided to follow..._

Holly clutched her head, trying to get it to shut up. "Dad...Dad's dead...Dad's dead, stop telling me you are him!"

_Holly...oh Holly...I am your father..._

"No, you're not...you're not! Please...go away...stop making me act weird...please...!"

_Holly...Holly..._the voice whispered eerily.

"You got me in trouble...go away!"

_I'm shattered by your denial, Holly..._

"If you're really my father, why didn't you come back before?!"

_Now is the time...now is the time...trust me first, Holly, I shall reveal to you the truth. We shall be unbeatable, a father-daughter duo..._

"You're not my father....my father never spoke like that..."

_Holly...I am your father as you remembered me..._

"No..." Holly spoke brokenly. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. "No..."

_Holly...trust in me..._

"Captain Short?" someone called behind her. It sounded like a man, but different from the voice she had been hearing in her head. But who knew? She couldn't take chances. Maybe it _was _the voice!

"Go away, go away, go away!" she shrieked wildly. 

"Captain Short?! What's wrong?" that someone continued to speak, his voice interlaced with concern. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

Holly did not turn around, and instead, wept miserably. "The voice....the voice...! It's coming after me, it wants to kill me!" she shouted hysterically.

"Captain Short! What voice?" she heard the man say.

"The...the voice," Holly sobbed. This was no longer the strong Holly everyone knew.

The man turned her face, and stared into her hazel eyes, a look of confusion in his eyes. Holly saw blue. So much blue. The endless blue threatened to drown her.

"Artemis, oh, oh, _Artemis_," she whispered finally, before collapsing into his arms.


	4. The Reunion

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Author's Note: I honestly didn't expect reviews. You guys are great! Thank you!

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Disclaimer: Disclaimers are evil....they remind you you don't own anything! *sob*

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Chapter Four: The Reunion (Holly Meets Artemis)

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Fowl Manor 

Dublin, Ireland

Approximately 2 p.m. Mud Man Time

(Artemis' point of view)

It had been two days since Captain Short had fainted in Artemis' arms. Being seventeen, Artemis had been returning from the college he had been studying in, in his new car and accompanied by his ever trusty sidekick, Butler, when he had passed by the meadows, and noticed Captain Short.

The way she had looked had scared him, and this was saying something as Artemis was usually a person of little emotion. She had a crazed look in her eye, and was jabbering nonsensically about hearing 'some voice'. Although it had been four years since he had last seen her, he had to admit that she still looked as pretty as ever, apart from the little hysterical fit she was going through.

Lucky for the captain, Artemis was allowed to bring her home and put her under Juliet's care, because his parents were currently on a honeymoon. Ever since his parents had reunited, they had made it a point to go on a vacation on their own every year, to rekindle the lost love between them. Artemis wisely decided not to go, knowing very well that his presence would only hinder the path of recovery his parents' marriage was being put through.

But now what would he do with Captain Short? He couldn't keep her in Fowl Manor forever, his parents would come back and then he'd be questioned. Furthermore, this could trigger the start of another cross-species war, which was a very dangerous thing. Artemis had no idea how to get in touch with the LEP; the technology used around the house was advanced, but it still wasn't as advanced as that of Foaly's.

Artemis sighed. How ironical it was that when he wanted a fairy, he had to go to such lengths to kidnap one. Now that he didn't want one around, she practically came to him. Heartless as most people had labelled him, Artemis didn't wish to leave Captain Short out in the Irish countryside and let her get eaten by sheep, for after all, this was one fairy he owed his family's happiness to. Not to mention, it would be a waste to see such good looks wither in the stomach of a voracious lamb.

Artemis' thoughts reverted back to Captain Short's temporary loss of sanity. It really didn't seem like the strong, vibrant woman he once knew, and respected. 

And although it had been four years, Artemis had never grown accustomed to the name Holly, it seemed only right to keep on calling her Captain Short, as there was a great distance between them that could never be closed. They were from different worlds, literally and metaphorically. Sometimes trying to analyze Captain Short made him wonder how he had ever managed to write psychological advice under the name "Professor Roy F. Stewart".

Artemis was shaken out of his silent reverie when a moan resounded from the other room. Striding out of his study, Artemis entered Captain Short's room. She seemed to be waking up. Meanwhile, Juliet was nowhere to be found.

"Captain Short?" Artemis tried tentatively.

He saw Captain Short glance fleetingly over at him, before shutting her eyes again. "Wh...Where am I...?" she bleated feebly.

"In my honourable abode," replied Artemis. "You apparently decided to lose consciousness and I was forced to drag you back here."

Captain Short tried to get out of bed, but instead, lost her balance and fell on Artemis, who collapsed on the ground.

"Gee, Captain Short. I know you're eighty and desperate for a man in your life but I didn't know you were _that _desperate," Artemis said amusedly.

Captain Short groaned and rolled off him. "You flatter yourself. What makes you think I would want to touch _you _with a ten-foot-pole?!"

"Your actions didn't seem to explain that when you fainted into my arms," replied Artemis smugly.

He watched Captain Short fume. "Did I look like I had a choice? No! Although come to think about it, maybe I should have let the sheep trample over me before I let myself get touched by you!"

Artemis smiled coolly. "Ah. The sheep would have been a very unlucky one."

Captain Short groaned. "_Youuuu...._if I didn't have this pain in my head, I'd throttle you."

Artemis smiled again. "Juliet and Butler have been fairly useful in brushing up my defense skills. Are you sure you want to attack me?"

Captain Short snorted. "And what are you capable of? Scratching my face?"

Artemis narrowed his eyes. "Don't tempt me."

Captain Short grinned. "Small boy trying to act tough."

Artemis regarded her calmly. "Little girl who needs to grow up."

Captain Short scowled. "You have no social life."

Artemis gave a small smile. "Neither do you."

Captain Short looked bemused. "And how would _you _know, Mr Know-It-All?"

"Apart from a friendly working relationship with Commander Root and Foaly, you don't seem to be friends with anyone else. Unless you consider me as your friend of course, which I highly doubt."

Captain Short gave a shiver. "That's one thing you're right about. I guess your intellect isn't stuck somewhere in your butt after all."

Artemis smiled. "Is there any need to carry on this pointless conversation?"

Captain Short smiled back. "No, I don't think so," she said sweetly.

"I'll be in my study if you need me."

"I would never find a need for you," Captain Short replied.

"Be nice, Captain Short. You are staying in my house after all."

"It's not like I had a choice," Captain Short answered. Artemis shook his head and went out of the door. He took a notebook out of his pocket and wrote some notes.

_Pretends to be a scathing spitfire. Puts on strong front. Very defensive. The real Captain Short is hidden beneath layers of fierce character. The real Captain Short is emotional, sensitive and sentimental, as seen in 'the voice' incident._

Artemis was sure Captain Short was hiding something from him. And it had something to do with the voice. Funny as it may be, he realized he was actually starting to worry for her. Did it have something to do with his deep admiration for her?


	5. Complicated

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A Twist of Fate

Author's Note: _Egad! Sorry the previous chapter was so short and abrupt, I'm really bad with endings. People have been asking me why I update so fast (although not as fast NOW as compared the first few), well, that's because I'm on a roll. I hate to leave my readers hanging (I've experienced that before, it's really annoying), so that's why I update so fast. Thank you for all your reviews - I've read them and they've helped me improve. I'll try to make things less confusing, but remember I'm a progressing writer, so continue to review! (It's my dream to reach 30 or more someday...OH WHO AM I KIDDING?)_

Disclaimer: _All belongs to Eoin Colfer._

Chapter Five: Complicated

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(Trouble's point of view)

Trouble took a deep breath, trying to work up the nerve to knock on Holly's door. It was roughly about seven in the evening now, and Trouble had found out from Foaly how upset Holly had been when she had found out that she was not working for the LEP for the time being. He wanted to cheer Holly up. If truth be told, he didn't really know why such a move could upset Holly so much, but from what he had heard, it seemed as if Holly couldn't do without at least punching a few enemies every day. Furthermore, she faced a bigger risk of losing her job for good because she was a female, and discrimination still ran rampant in the LEP council.

Trouble smiled. He really didn't know how anyone could discriminate against a wonderful girl like Holly. Well, except for that I-think-I'm-God's-gift-to-women Chix Verbil. Trouble made a face. That kind of guy was undeserving of Holly's attention. Trouble was glad Holly had the right presence of mind to reject that egotistical sprite.

Or maybe it was just because Trouble liked Holly. Trouble didn't really know when the feeling had started. All he knew was that her sarcasm and sharp wit never failed to impress him, and her feisty ways made her stand out among the other female fairies. Not to mention, she could throw a mean punch, and yet maintain a seemingly ethereal beauty. The mischievous smile and twinkling hazel eyes worked better than the _mesmer, _and Trouble hated being corny, but it was these things in Holly that made her so special.

Returning to the 'task' at hand, Trouble wondered if Holly would accept the bouquet of flowers he had carefully picked out for her. It's funny how Holly had never realized he always felt something more for her. Maybe his little displays of affection weren't obvious enough. Well, tonight, these flowers were going to be more than obvious.

Knocking lightly on the door, Trouble's heart pounded erratically as he tried to remember what he would say to Holly, and how he would work in the 'I like you' into the conversation. He waited for the door to open, but it never did. For a moment Trouble wondered if he could have gotten the wrong address.

"Don't be silly," he muttered to himself. "You just came here yesterday."

Trouble tried again. Maybe Holly hadn't heard him. The possibility that Holly wasn't home hadn't occurred to him, because Trouble was sure that Holly _would _be at home. Where else could she go? She didn't have an assignment from the LEP and Holly never seemed to be the kind who would go shopping until late at night in order to cheer up.

Trouble started to worry. Running lithely to the glass windows, he noticed that the curtains were drawn and the lights were out. Could Holly have been asleep already?

"Holly...HOLLY!" he yelled, wondering if he could hear her. There seemed to be no response. He tried to figure out where her bedroom windows were located. Then he could peer in and see if Holly was asleep. But Holly -- asleep?! At _seven _in the evening? She couldn't be _that _depressed, could she?

Skimming over the grass, Trouble ran to Holly's bedroom windows and peered in from outside.

_"Empty!" _Trouble exclaimed to himself. In fact, it looked untouched, as if Holly had made it up in the morning but had never returned. Where could Holly have gone?

"HOLLY!" he screamed. "HOLLY, ARE YOU IN THERE?!"

Silence followed his yells, and a growing sense of dread began to gnaw at his brain.

"Oh gawd..." he murmured, and dropped the flowers.

_Please be safe Holly....please be safe..._he thought as he began to comb downtown Haven for a certain red-head.

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~*~

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(Back to the normal point of view - Holly's)

For some reason, Holly couldn't sleep. Although it was relatively late at night, Holly's eyes stayed alert and awake. Holly didn't believe that it was insomnia, and decided that her body's system was probably thrown out of whack, what with the irregular fainting fits and all. Her body probably already had enough rest, and Holly, having nothing to do, decided to get up and walk about.

_Who cares if this isn't my house? It's Artemis' fault that he just had to bring me here, _Holly thought, realizing with a shock that she had called him Artemis, instead of Fowl. In fact, when she had fainted in front of him, her first words were 'Artemis'. Did that mean...?

_Preposterous, _Holly thought. _No way could I like that filthy Mud Boy. Maybe I'm just grateful to him for saving my life, that's all. I wonder why he did that though? Are we friends? Does he still remember the coin incident four years ago? Arrrrgh, shut up Holly._

Holly mooched around the bedroom for a bit, before creaking the door open and pattering lightly down the oak staircase. Fowl Manor was still at this time of the night, and by Holly's estimations, it was about eleven in the night. _Mud Boy probably needs his beauty sleep, _she thought scathingly, chuckling to herself at how spoiled Artemis could be. Holly opened the door quietly, trying not to wake up anyone. As much as she loved to disturb Artemis, she wasn't sure if it was wise to face the wrath of Artemis Fowl. Since he always kept his true feelings to himself and didn't show his emotions openly, Holly deduced that if Artemis were to one day let it all out, all hell would _really_ break loose, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to die.

As Holly stepped out, she breathed in the scent of the fresh air. A chilly breeze swept around her and toyed gently with her auburn hair, making her feel cool and relaxed. She threw caution to the wind as she sprinted lightly over the dewy grass, her legs telling the story of her ethereal beauty.

She felt more free than she had ever been in her life. Ever since the 'voice' incident, she had begun to lose herself - the strong, undeterred Holly everyone (even herself) knew. The incident had caused her to appear just as vulnerable and emotional as anyone else, and for a moment, she had let her defences down, exposing the true Holly for everyone to see - even her rival Artemis Fowl. For a few days she had lost a little of the sarcastic part of her, except for the time that she had a conversation with Artemis.

Now that the voice no longer bothered her for the moment, she felt as if her freedom had been given back to her, and she could safely be the determined girl everyone else knew. No one could push her down unless Holly's will weakened and she surrendered to them - but the people who knew Holly knew that that day would never come.

Skipping almost childishly to a small hill nearby, she whistled in her joy, but abruptly stopped when she noticed someone else sitting on the hill. Her feet skidded to a stop as she contemplated what on _earth_ someone else could be doing on a hill at this time of the night.

The person turned around, and Holly groaned. Just her luck.

"Mud Boy. What are you doing here?"

Artemis smiled coolly as the wind ruffled his dark hair. A book lay open in his lap, and he appeared to have been writing in it before she got here. 

"Why can't I be here, Captain Short?" Artemis asked curiously.

"You don't own this piece of land."

"Actually....? I do," Artemis replied. "You're forgetting who you're talking to - the richest man in all of Ireland - perhaps in the whole world."

"Cocky little piece of filth, aren't you, Artemis?"

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say. And you slipped by calling me Artemis again," Artemis smiled.

Holly was stumped. _How did he notice the littlest things about her? _she thought, as she bit her lip. Usually by this time she could reciprocate with one of her biting remarks. Was she losing her touch?

"I thought it was time for a little Mud Boy like you to go to sleep," Holly replied.

"I'm seventeen, I'm not a boy, I don't have a curfew, so I don't have to go to sleep now," Artemis replied calmly. "But I see that your brain has not processed this vital bit of information."

Holly seethed with anger. She would not let Artemis get to her; she would not, _she would not!_

"What exactly are you doing here, then?" Holly said sweetly, trying to be civilised.

"You obviously have not been using your eyes enough. Can't you see I'm writing?" Artemis replied.

"Yes, I know that, Artemis - I mean, _Fowl_. Isn't eleven o'clock at night a weird time to be writing? And writing _what _for D'Arvit's sake? A list of my bad points?" Holly said sarcastically.

"Do you really think I'm that unscrupulous?" Artemis had dropped his smiling act now, and instead looked up into her eyes. He seemed deadly serious.

Holly felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine, and she quickly looked away from Artemis' piercing blue eyes. It was _strange _how with one look like that, he gave the impression that he could see right through her, right through her "I'm-so-strong" facade, and right through her heart. She noticed that her heart was beating erratically, and she blamed it on the shock Artemis gave her - how he could be so sarcastic one moment, and then turn so serious the next.

"Do you?" he challenged, his hand reaching out to turn her face towards him. Holly's hazel eyes met a sea of blue once again, and she felt like she was drowning in them, trying to find herself, reaching out for a saviour...

Holly couldn't answer that question, and looked down. Artemis was too scary - he seemed to be the only person who could take her seriously, who could see what she was thinking without even having to ask. From the way her heart continued to pound irregularly, Holly decided she liked him better when he was sarcastic. _Wait, correction, I don't even like him, I meant I **preferred** him better when he was sarcastic._

Artemis sighed and turned away from her. "Never mind," he muttered, while he picked up his pen and began to scribble frantically in his book. Holly assumed it was a journal of some sorts.

Holly waited for herself to calm down before she spoke to him again. By this time, Artemis seemed to be lost in his own world, murmuring to himself as his pen skimmed quickly over the pages. She dared to look over and realized he was writing poetry.

"I didn't know you were such a poet," she said softly, quietly impressed. Her pride would not let her tell him what she thought of his poetry.

Artemis chuckled. "I may be a genius, but I'm not only into computers."

Holly was tempted to roll her eyes, but decided it would look too childish for Artemis. She had done it once, yes, but that didn't mean she had to do it again. Suddenly, she realized, she was scrutinizing her character - and all for who? Stupid Mud Boy Artemis Fowl. It was too strange. Did he put some spell on her?

"You're so self-centred," Holly snickered.

Artemis merely smiled. "It appears you don't know me very well."

Holly was aghast. "I _don't_ know you very well?! You kidnapped me when you were twelve, collaborated with me when you were thirteen and after having been through so much, if I don't know you well, I ought to be killed."

Artemis shook his head. "Tell me what you know about me."

Holly smirked. "You're a sly, scheming, lying, unemotional criminal. Why, you're Artemis Fowl."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Really."

Holly smiled back. "I'm telling the truth."

Artemis shrugged. "If that's how you want to portray me, I have nothing to say."

Holly snorted. "Oh, please. You're making it sound like you're _so _innocent."

Artemis blanched. "I admit I'm not entirely innocent, but if you only knew."

"Knew what?"

"That's the point. It's for you to figure out. It appears your perception of me is based entirely on your own coloured and prejudiced views. Have you asked Butler what I really am? Have you asked my mother? Have you asked my father? How about Juliet? I know I may not have many friends, but have you ever asked yourself why? Why are you so quick to judge, Captain Short?"

Holly fumed. _What an unfair accusation! _Holly thought angrily. _The **nerve **of stupid Fowl to accuse me of being judgemental!_

Yet, the truth hit Holly like a stone. She realized that he had been right. Just how much exactly did she know about Artemis? She felt like she knew less about him each time they met. Was it because he kept too much to himself, or was it because she was too busy looking out for his bad points? Artemis had been right again, but she wasn't going to show how he had hurt her pride. Instead, she gave Artemis the silent treatment. She deduced that if she didn't talk, he couldn't put her down. Therefore, no one would get hurt.

"Ignoring me, Captain Short?" Artemis' words cut through the air like a scalpel, startling Holly.

"Hmmph," Holly replied, refusing to entertain him.

Artemis sighed and closed his book. "Holly...would you look at me, please."

_He called me Holly! That's so weird. _

"Why should I?" Holly said snottily. _Artemis is too strange. What's up with him? We try to have a civil conversation, and we end up fighting. Then after that he wants to make up with me? Then after we've both let it go by, we start back at square one._

"Holly...I'm sorry, okay?" Artemis sounded tired. "I'm just not very used to socialising with people, so when I talk I tend to be rather blunt. Then I give the impression that I'm arrogant. I just...."

He sounded so miserable that Holly turned around, and instantly, she was drowning in the sea of blue again.

_When will he stop reading me? When will he stop doing that? _Holly thought irritably.

_Artemis....why do you have to go and make things so complicated?_


	6. Destructive Voices In My Head

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Author's Note: _I'm getting less and less reviews per chapter. Never mind, I'm still going to write! Sorry I haven't updated for three days, I was studying for a test. Enjoy! The next chapter will be out probably on Thursday! Thanks for your support!_

Disclaimer: _Really lazy to write it. _

A Twist of Fate by **Stardust Firebolt**

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Chapter Six: Destructive Voices In My Head

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Still at Fowl Manor

The next morning

Holly woke up, and was surprised to see that she was lying in her own bed at the Fowl Manor. She had been talking to Artemis from eleven to about twelve at midnight last night when abruptly, she had felt herself falling asleep. She recalled Artemis reciting some of his poetry to her at her request (she wanted to make up for the way she had been judgemental, and was determined to give Artemis a chance to show his true self), and although she struggled to stay awake, her eyelids got heavier and heavier as she started to succumb to the tempting arms of dreamland. The last thing she knew was Artemis whispering a poem about the stars to her ears, and after that, she must have fallen asleep because she couldn't remember anything else.

_In that case, how did I get here? _she thought bewilderedly. _Did I sleep-walk?_

Holly got dressed as she contemplated the possibilities of how she had ended up in her bed instead of waking up to a field of sky blue with the scratchy grass beneath her.

_"Artemis!" _she yelled as she ran out of her room noisily.

"Tone it down, Captain Short, I value my hearing," Artemis replied from his room next door.

Holly was sheepish. She knew she couldn't help it if she yelled loudly. Having worked in the LEP for so long, she had forgotten how to be a lady with demure manners and gentle etiquette. Holly ran into the next room and almost crashed into Artemis for the second time that week. Hurriedly skidding to a stop, she self-consciously smoothed down her hair and pants, trying not to look so ruffled, and especially trying not to look as if she was in _such a hurry _to see someone like _him_. 

Artemis looked hugely amused. "Ah, Captain Holly Short ends up in _my room _looking _desperate_ for the second time this week. May I ask what has possessed you to want to enjoy my pleasant company?"

Holly felt her cheeks burn. The fact that Artemis' statement was so _ambiguous _made her realize that he was deliberately trying to make her uncomfortable. The _audacity _of Artemis Fowl! How _dare _he be so bold, and so arrogant! She wanted to slap him, but she restrained herself. She would not let Artemis gloat over how she had judged him too soon. Maybe this was just Artemis' way of joking with her, a way of lightening the tension between them. Maybe she just took his comments too seriously. She counted to ten to calm herself down, before she spoke.

"Did you carry me back here after I fell asleep last night?" Holly questioned.

Artemis smiled. "Isn't the answer obvious?"

Holly was stunned. So he _had _carried her back here, but...why?

"Why? That's too...._nice..._of you."

Artemis' eyes glinted with amusement and he casually leaned against his desk. "Surprised, Captain Short? I do have a bit of humanity you know, not to let you freeze outside in the cold night air."

"Well....er....did you...er....do...anything...to me last night?" Holly asked softly, embarrassed at her question, which was obviously a reference to whether Artemis could keep his hormones in check. She had to ask as a precaution, because she never knew how dangerous Artemis could get.

Artemis chortled, and his icy composure slipped just at that moment. His eyes crinkled up in mirth as he burst out in raucous laughter. "Do...._anything..._to..._you?" _he repeated laughingly. He seemed as if he hadn't laughed that hard in ages.

Holly flushed with embarrassment, and tried to salvage the rest of her disintegrating pride by lifting her chin up high. "You obviously know what I mean, don't you?" she asked shrilly, her embarrassment causing her voice to go up a notch.

Artemis flashed a charming smile at her while his eyes held a hint of hilarity. "The fact that you could even _think _of the possibility that I would rape you while you were asleep, suggests that you obviously have been _fantasizing _about it, haven't you?"

Holly's mouth dropped open. What a bold question! She was at a loss for words. "Of course I - I_ haven't_, you...you...arrogant piece of _filth!_ How _dare _you....!" she lunged for him angrily, furious at his attempt to make her feel embarrassed. She had never been so embarrassed in her life! How Artemis could even joke about a matter like this was unthinkable!

Artemis laughed again as he dodged the flying fairy, who was trying to strangle him in the hope that his vocal chords would break and he would never insult her again.

Holly collided into Artemis and they both fell to the floor, Holly lying on top of Artemis. Juliet, Butler's sister, walked in that moment with the breakfast tray for Artemis, and promptly dropped it as she considered Holly and Artemis' position.

"Oh. My. God." Juliet gaped and clapped a hand over her mouth.

Holly scrambled to her feet. "No, it isn't like what you think it is!" Holly said pleadingly.

"Holly, you are just _gross! _Arty's only seventeen, he's too young!" With that, Juliet ran out, obviously off to gossip about this scandalous affair.

A burst of laughter erupted from Artemis just then, and Holly whirled around furiously. "SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Holly screamed.

Artemis got to his feet and raised an eyebrow at her. "You went for me, I didn't do anything." He smiled at the double meaning of his sentence.

Holly fumed silently, and Artemis, who noticed, put an arm tentatively around her shoulders. "Poor Captain Short. Accused of something she couldn't have done. She's eighty, and too old to charm a man anyway."

That was the last straw. Holly knew he was just teasing her, but Holly was already angry enough to erupt any minute. Holly broke free from Artemis and lifted her hand, preparing to slap the smile out of Artemis' face, but just before her hand made contact with his cheek, he apologized.

"I'm sorry, Holly, I was just joking," Artemis said. His eyes reflected the shock he felt at Holly responding so vehemently to his words.

"Why don't you _mean _it, for once!" Holly shrieked. "And stop hurting people's feelings!"

Artemis obviously realized he had gone too far with his jokes. "All right, all right, I'm sorry, Holly. You can...slap me now." He braced himself.

"And _stop _calling me _Holly! _Who do you think you _are!" _Holly shrieked. She didn't want Artemis to think they were friends, because it would make her confused. Yet, she had to admit, she had melted the moment Artemis had said the first sorry, and added the Holly at the back. She didn't want to keep feeling like this around Artemis, how he could just play with her emotions by calling her Holly and knowing when to apologize. It was just so different from the Artemis she knew before. She didn't want him to change. She was afraid her own feelings about him would change.

Artemis looked at his feet. "I'm sorry...Captain Short." 

Holly realized that she had never really understood Artemis. He was just so mysterious in the ways he acted around her. Sometimes, he could argue with her as if they were enemies, and sometimes he could be so sweet that she didn't know why they fought in the first place.

"Well...I forgive you," she finally replied. If Artemis was going to be civil, so could she.

"Thank you," Artemis replied. He tried a tentative smile, and when Holly didn't comment, a warm smile lit up his features, obviously glad that he had been forgiven. Holly wasn't even sure if that smile was genuine. Artemis had two kinds of smiles - the frosty, sarcastic, 'I'm-obviously-smarter-than-you-so-get-out-of-here' smile, or the pleasant, welcoming kind.

The two stood there staring at each other, not knowing what to say. Suddenly Holly realized that they never really had a decent conversation. Now that there was an opportunity, they weren't making use of it.

Artemis eventually turned away from her, and looked at the mess that Juliet had made. He sighed and ruffled his hair.

"Well, Captain Short, it seems I can't have my breakfast in here after all. Shall we go down to have breakfast then?"

How Artemis could still remain so calm after the major argument they just had astounded Holly. He was so assertive, so self-assured...did anything really faze him? Did he really have no regards for emotion whatsoever?

"Yes, please," replied Holly, awed.

~*~

Holly took a stroll after a rather decent breakfast with Artemis. They had managed to eat without throwing food at one another. Artemis had gone to his study to write an essay for school, which left Holly free to do whatever she wanted. Holly walked on the green grass of Ireland and realized that she would miss this place when she left for her home in Haven, which would be soon as she had imposed on the Fowls too long. Furthermore, she was fine.

_Would you miss Fowl Manor, or miss a certain someone? _her sub-conscience nagged at her. Holly ignored the absurd thought and sat down on the same hill she had shared with Artemis the night before. Her eyes scanned the familiar flowers growing on the ground and the ships that lay in the sea beyond.

_Enjoying the scenery, Holly dear? _a voice said in her head.

Holly scrambled to her feet. "Not you again," she groaned.

_Holly...I am right behind you. Then you will see if I am real._

Holly whirled around, and gasped. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she shook her head vehemently.

"Stop...stop playing with my feelings...I won't give in...I'm not crazy," Holly said, trying to be calm.

_Nobody said you were, Holly. _Her father stretched out his hand. _Take it. If you think you are hallucinating, you will not feel it, right?_

Holly stretched out a tentative, shaking hand. It was time to end this silly hallucination once and for all. She placed her palm in his. It was warm.

_Am I real now, Holly? Am I real?_

Holly burst into tears and hugged her father. "I thought...I thought you were dead!"

Her father stroked her head. The voice had vanished out of her head, and he reverted to speaking normally. "I was never dead, Holly."

"But....why?" she questioned.

"The bloody scheming LEP. They wanted me out," her father growled. "Sit down while I tell you the story."

Holly sank down beside her father, hardly daring to believe. Her eyes opened wide as her father narrated the truth to her.

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

Artemis sighed. _Why can't I get Holly out of my head? _he thought irritably. When he had carried her into Fowl Manor the day before, he couldn't help but notice the way she seemed like an angel when she was sleeping.

_Urrrgh, Artemis, get a grip on yourself,_ Artemis thought, disgusted with himself. _Trust yourself to get so sentimental over some overgrown fairy, _he snorted to himself. He ran a hand lightly over his tousled hair and stared out of the window of his study. How he wished that Holly hadn't got such a coloured perception of him. Had he not tried to change himself? Had he not tried to be nice to her? Had he not tried to show his gentler side? Didn't she understand that his arrogance was a false show of confidence? Didn't she understand that he teased her to get her attention? Why did she hate him so?

_Why do you care if she hates you or not, Artemis? You're being absolutely retarded. Face the fact that Holly's going to leave Fowl Manor one day for her own home, and before your parents get back, which is about in a week's time. You can't do anything about it, and you shouldn't. Even if you do like her, you must be mad. There are so many other girls who'd be dying to go after you, because of your status and prestige._

But Holly's not like that, Artemis argued mentally.

__

Artemis sighed. Sometimes his own thoughts really confused him. Butler entered his room just then, startling Artemis. They hadn't talked for quite some time, because Artemis had been too preoccupied with Holly. Butler placed a hand of his client's shoulder as Artemis continued to stare out of the window.

"Where's Holly?" Artemis said instinctively, and it was all Butler could do not to hide his grin behind a hand.

"That's the fourth time you've asked me that today, Artemis," Butler replied. "Can't bear to let her out of your sight?"

Artemis turned around and looked at Butler squarely in the eye, covering up his emotions effectively. "Nonsense," he exclaimed.

Butler chuckled. "From what Juliet has told me, I gather it's not."

Artemis groaned. "Whatever Juliet's said, it's definitely not true."

Butler winked, a conspiratorial wink between close friends. Over the years, he had grown to be more of a friend than a bodyguard, but their friendship wasn't really displayed in the open. "Right, Artemis," he said, knowing that what Artemis said wasn't true, and knowing that Artemis knew that he thought it wasn't true.

Artemis seemed distracted as he stared listlessly out of the window again. Something was troubling Artemis, but Butler wasn't sure what. He seemed to be too quiet, unlike the Artemis he knew who would always confide in him.

"Anything wrong, Artemis?" he asked quietly.

Artemis' blue eyes scanned the estate that stretched for miles around outside. "You know, Butler..." he began seriously.

"Yes?" Butler replied, listening with rapt attention.

"I wonder what is it I live for."

Butler sat up in shock. Was young Artemis feeling suicidal? "Artemis!" he said alarmingly. "Whatever it is you're thinking, don't be foolish!"

Artemis laughed at Butler's overreaction. "Don't be silly, Butler. I didn't mean I wanted to commit suicide. I merely meant..." Artemis began to bite his lip, and Butler was reminded again of how young Artemis still was, even though he tried to act more mature than his age.

"I was just wondering...what is my life going to be like? My future is sealed of course, I _will_ inherit all of Fowl Manor and its estates, and my father's money....but....what do I do with it? To have so much money and not be able to find a use for it....isn't it pointless?" Artemis sighed. "It might be hard to understand, Butler. I know I can have everything I ask for..." Artemis turned to the window and stared outside again. "...but I feel there's something missing in my life."

"What is it that you feel you're missing?" Butler asked.

"I don't know..." Artemis said. "There's just this emptiness inside of me that aches to be filled up. I thought I had grown over that stage. You know that since I was young, I was singled out because I was a genius and thus I didn't have many friends. I guess you could say I felt..._lonely. _But Butler, I'm seventeen now....why doesn't the feeling go away?"

Artemis sounded so lost and forlorn that Butler felt sorry for him. "You've got a friend in me," he said, trying to sound jovial.

"I know..." Artemis trailed off, before speaking again. "But it's just not the same. I ache to go out and meet people, to befriend them, to make them like me..." He looked at his feet. "Yet when I get the opportunity, I hurt them, extort money from them, and use them for my own selfish gain. I know I was reckless....but somehow, not everybody has been able to forgive me for that. Maybe that's why I don't have many friends..."

Butler placed a hand on Artemis' shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Artemis. When you get the chance, you will be able to make it up to them. Like Holly for example. She's here now, why not try and patch things up with her? It's like fate put her here for a reason."

"Perhaps," Artemis began simply. Their conversation was interrupted by a frantic Juliet, who ran in, her voice coming out sharp and hurried.

"Arty, Arty," she panted, trying to catch her breath. She seemed as if she had been running.

"What is it, Juliet?" Artemis asked, frowning anxiously.

"Holly...she's...she's..."

Artemis went numb. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears. He couldn't feel anything else - he didn't _dare _to feel anything else. The silence in the air was tense.

"What's up with her?" Artemis asked slowly, not daring to breathe.

"Holly's behaving like she's possessed or _something_. I just came back from _shopping_ and I saw her heading out of Fowl Manor, towards some place. But...she looked so _scary_! I said _hi_, and I was about to apologize for making a _big_ deal about just now when I saw you two together... but it's like she didn't even _recognize_ me. She looked at me like I was a deformed creature." Juliet shuddered, lifting her hands to her pale cheeks. "Which would be _such _an insult to my beauty!"

Artemis tried to calm himself down. "And after that?"

"She glared at me before she like, _totally _ignored me and went off somewhere. It was _so_ creepy and _crazy, _I tell you!" Juliet exclaimed.

Artemis let his worry get the better of him and bustled out of the door without a second word. Butler began to run after him, wondering what Artemis was going to do.

"Hey!" Juliet shouted furiously. "Isn't _anyone _going to care about _my _trauma?!" She was left there alone as her words reverberated around the empty room, and she pouted and sat furiously down on a chair.

~*~

_Tell me where you are, Holly...please..._Artemis thought frantically as he jumped into his car and revved up the engine. A panting Butler slid into the seat next to him, and an alarmed Artemis glanced up at him. "Butler! What are you doing here!" Artemis remarked, the car's engine rumbling softly.

"I go wherever my charge goes. It's my duty," Butler replied. "Besides, you and I have a lot to talk about."

"Whatever you say," Artemis said grimly as he swung the car 180 degrees and sped off into action.

"Whoa!" Butler cried as he slammed against the car door. "Calm down, Artemis! I've never seen you this crazy before!"

"Put on your seatbelt and hold on tight then," Artemis said tersely, clutching the steering wheel tightly.

"Why don't you let me drive then, Artemis?" Butler suggested. That way, they both wouldn't be killed at the speed he was going.

"No," Artemis said fiercely.

"You wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Holly, would you," Butler commented. It was more of a statement than a question.

"So _what _if it's for Holly? You have a problem with that?" Artemis snapped as he turned sharply around a bend, causing the tyres to screech with alarm.

"No," Butler said simply, wondering when Artemis' temper had gotten so short.

"Then shut up and look after yourself," Artemis retorted. Butler's eyes widened with shock. Since when had Artemis been so obsessed about something that he couldn't care about anything else?

_I think Artemis is falling in love with Holly, and there isn't a damn thing he can do about it, _Butler contemplated as he jerked around in Artemis' car. _He's angry with himself that he's actually incapable of getting a girl out of his head when nothing else fazes him._

"Do you see Holly anywhere?" Artemis barked at him.

Butler strained to see out of the window. "No sign."

"Tell me when you see her and I'll stop the car."

"Sure thing, Artemis."

"Sorry if I snapped at you just now." That was the closest to an apology Artemis could get, but Butler accepted it anyway. He had always felt compelled to forgive Artemis, who was a difficult child at heart.

"That's all right, Artemis." Butler replied, trying to smile at Artemis in spite of hanging on for his dear life. He looked out of the window again.

"Artemis! I think I see her....she's right there," Butler said, while Artemis stomped on the brakes and Butler jerked forward, his nose just inches from crashing into the windscreen. The seatbelt choked him as he was pushed forward. The car squealed noisily as it came to a sudden halt, and Butler was slammed back into his chair, feeling worn out. In all his years of battle, he didn't think he'd met a challenge more dangerous than when Artemis Fowl was driving.

"Where?" Artemis asked frantically, his head poking out of the car window.

Butler got out of the car and opened the door for Artemis. He pointed out Holly to him, and Artemis jumped out of the car. He began to run towards Holly, who was heading towards a farm, moving in a rather dazed fashion. Very slowly and very mechanically, as if she was being controlled by someone with a remote controller. Juliet was right. But what had happened? They hadn't let Holly out of their sight except for after breakfast, where she had requested to take a stroll. (Though Butler was sure she was trying to avoid Artemis for some reason.) After that, they hadn't heard of her. What had happened to her during the stroll?

"Holly!" Artemis screamed. Butler had never known Artemis to be so uncouth in public. But where matters of the heart were concerned, he guessed he could understand Artemis' feelings. Just like the other time, he had been driving home with Artemis from school, when they had encountered upon Holly in a field nearby, looking like she was about to split herself open, and Artemis had rushed to her side.

Holly did not reply to Artemis' yells, and kept on walking. Artemis had caught up with her and yanked her by the arm. "Holly...Holly, it's me, Artemis," he said pleadingly, as if his voice could somehow shake her out of the trance she was in.

Holly stopped for a moment before her head turned slowly towards him. She cocked her head to one side and stared bewilderedly at him. Her hazel eyes held no flicker of the vivacious spirit the lively fairy once had in her.

"Who...are....you?" Holly asked laboriously, as if she had forgotten how to speak.

Artemis searched her hazel eyes anxiously, for some sign that Holly recognized him. But there was none. "Holly...it's me, Artemis Fowl. Remember me? Okay, if you don't like me to call you Holly, how about Captain Short? Captain Short, do you know who I am?"

"Captain....Short?" Holly frowned. _God, she looked beautiful, _Artemis thought helplessly. _But so helpless and lost. What's going on?_

"I'm....I'm not Captain Short..." Holly said, her eyes blinking rather unnaturally. "I...do...not...know you...go away..." Holly wrenched her arm out of his grip and continued to walk towards the farm. Artemis followed her, worried about her safety. Butler trudged after Artemis, who looked so emotional Butler could hardly believe this was the cold Artemis he once knew.

"Butler....hurry up! We have to see where she's going!" Artemis yelled, beckoning Butler to hurry up.

"I don't like the look of things, Artemis. Holly....isn't acting like Holly."

"I don't like the look of things either, Butler." Artemis replied, running after Holly. "We have to figure out what's wrong with Holly!"

Holly seemed to be boarding a train to some place. Without question, Artemis and Butler hurried on board, hanging close behind Holly, but not so close that she noticed. She seemed oblivious to the outside world anyway. Artemis began to worry.

_Does this have something to do with the voice Holly's been hearing?_

~*~

****

Haven, Underground

LEP Headquarters

Same day, same time

Foaly whistled as he passed by Trouble at work, who looked very depressed. "Are you all right, Trouble? You've been looking like that lately."

"I can't understand how Holly's gone missing and no one cares where she's gone!" Trouble spat angrily.

"Geez, don't get so worked up, man. Have you combed the _entire _Haven to search for her?" Foaly said.

Trouble's head slumped onto his desk moodily. "Of course I have, Foaly. I've been to all the places she could be."

"Even dusted the tiniest crack in the wall to search for her?" Foaly joked.

Trouble gave him the evil eye. "This is no time to be joking around, Foaly. Who knows where she is? I'm half-tempted to paste up 'lost person' notices."

"Relax," Foaly said, nudging him in the shoulder. "Remember, Holly's supposed to be taking a holiday. She could be anywhere. Probably somewhere where she doesn't want anyone to know about the humiliation of not working for the LEP."

"That serious?" Trouble replied. "But you're right. Haven is huge. She could be anywhere. Somewhere where I haven't looked. But she'll come back."

"Atta boy!" Foaly grinned. "It's just like Holly our girl to disappear and reappear one month after." Foaly winked. "Who knows, she could even be camping out at Fowl Manor!" Foaly laughed.

Trouble groaned. "That would be a very unlikely possibility. Holly hates Fowl to the core, she told me herself."

Foaly grinned. "She told you, eh? Must be covering up her feelings or something."

Trouble sat up in shock. "You mean she likes the Mud Boy?"

Foaly shrugged nonchalantly. "Sometimes it shows. I'm not saying it's true though."

Trouble felt the urge to hit something. _Holly is mine and no one else can have her. I alone can give her all the love she wants. I just haven't shown it to her. _Trouble thought, feeling dejected about not having made a move when Holly had been here.

"Don't beat yourself up, man. It's not your fault Holly's gone to Timbuktu or something. She'll be back soon, it's only been a few days since she'd gone."

Trouble muttered something incoherent, and Foaly decided to leave him alone. Trouble obviously wasn't in the mood to talk, and Foaly knew it wasn't wise to go on provoking an extremely pent-up fairy. He whistled again as he walked towards his booth, when a resounding boom that shook the headquarters startled him.

_"What the hell was that?" _a voice shouted from an office nearby. Foaly knew it was Root. That loud voice was unmistakable.

"Do I look like I know? No," Foaly said sarcastically as he passed by the office. Another boom shook the headquarters, and this time everyone was scrambling out of their own office booths to congregate and ask what was going on.

"What's going on?"

"Did you hear that BOOM sound...?"

"...You bet I did!"

"What _is _it?"

"How would I know?"

"What's that sound? It's so weird."

As everyone in the LEP headquarters questioned each other about the sound, Foaly frowned and decided to run a scan on the town of Haven for any suspicious activity. He ran to his booth and clacked away on the keyboard frantically as he drew up a map of Haven, and ran a scan. A beeping sound emitted from his computers as a bright red dot sparkled ominously on the screen, locating where the suspicious activity was coming from. It was to the northeast of downtown Haven.

"Commander Root!" he yelled. A burly man rushed in behind him, and Foaly told him about his scan.

"It seems like the sounds are being made to the northeast of downtown Haven. Maybe if you send your officers to go and check it out, I can stay here and monitor the movement and send the directions over the radios," Foaly said quickly.

Root nodded slowly as he tried to understand. "But what if it isn't serious? Then won't we be wasting our time?"

Foaly contemplated. "Too bad, Commander Root. Unless you want people to start complaining about the annoying sound, you better send people over there quick."

Root nodded. "I'll take your advice for once, Foaly." He rushed out of the room, presumably to gather LEP soldiers before making their way out of the building to find out what was making the sound. As he heard the doors of the LEP building open, he heard everyone gasp in shock.

"Oh my god!" someone cried.

"What is it?" Foaly said frantically as he rushed out of the booth. That someone was a secretary who took care of administrative work in the LEP. She had covered her hands to her mouth in horror and pointing to the outside of the LEP doors. _Must be something outside, _Foaly thought as he made his way outside of the LEP building, and was immediately blinded by a raging sea of red.

A/N: Hehehehe! What did Foaly see? I can promise a more action-packed next chapter, because things have been moving really slowly for the past few chapters. Meanwhile, click on that pretty blue box and review! 


	7. Finding Yourself

****

Disclaimer: _Yadda, yadda, yadda._

****

A Twist of Fate by Stardust Firebolt

__

Chapter Seven: Finding Yourself

"Wh-what is this?" Foaly exclaimed disbelievingly, astounded by what he was seeing. His eyes couldn't be deceiving him because he clearly had perfect vision, but what on earth could have caused such terrible destruction? 

Fire ravaged every corner of Haven, turning streets into ashes and dissolving everything in its path into a massive ocean of red. The flames malevolently licked the shops that once stood there proudly. Doorposts succumbed to the heat of the fire and crumbled before it, sending swirls of dust into the air. Through the thick, black column of smoke that had begun to gather, Foaly could see Root and his team trying valiantly to protect themselves from the ravenous blaze of the fire while they tried to find out who had caused such a terrible thing. Bodies lay charred on the floor while the people of Haven scurried frantically about, panicking and shrieking, causing a chaotic situation that had never been seen since the goblin incident four years ago. While people tried to save their own lives, the 'booming' sound never ceased, making Foaly wonder if the source of the sound, whatever it was, was the one causing the fire. 

The furious rage in Root's eyes was fiercer than the fire that threatened the livelihood of the people of Haven, causing a shudder to run down Foaly's spine.

"D'Arvit!" Root swore. "How could we have overlooked such a terrible thing!" he spat angrily. Trouble was surveying the area around Root, looking grim. "Send some people to put out the fire! Go, quick!" Trouble commanded hurriedly, ordering two men to go back to the LEP and call for more back-up to help extinguish the fire. The LEP officers were doing everything they could to keep the fire in control, but it was quickly getting out of hand. 

Foaly rushed back to his booth and ran another scan to see where the fire had spread. The computer bleeped noisily as the flame symbol began to crop up almost everywhere, except for the LEP building and the area to the northeast. Foaly tried not to panic. He was the _smartest _centaur in the world, dammit! He clacked away furiously on the keyboard as he tried to give the situation to Root, who was busy swearing away at their hindsight.

"D'Arvit, D'Arvit, _D'Arvit!_" Root's voice screeched over the radio. "We could have saved the people, we could have _done_ something, why didn't we _see it_?? Why didn't anyone in _bloody_ Haven call the _bloody LEP!_"

Foaly tried to sound calm, but in reality, the possible destruction of the Haven he loved was having quite an adverse effect on him. "Calm down Root!" he shouted back. "The fire's not only concentrated in this area, more fires are being started down south! Whoever it is, I don't know, but I presume it has something to do with the...the..._thing _in the northeast!"

"D'Arvit!" Root went again. "We can't be in so many places at once, Foaly, think of something!"

"I'm thinking, I'm _thinking_," Foaly replied as he bashed away at the keyboard, feeling the tension and pressure mount. "I'll try and burst the water gadgets that I've installed in some of the places that are in flames right now. The gadgets should have enough water stored in them for emergency purposes such as this one. I'll try and keep most of the fires under control, but not all the places have water gadgets. If only I had enough funds from the LEP -"

"Foaly, we can discuss your mediocre salary later on. RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO SAVE THE PEOPLE!" Root shrieked, trying to drive the point home.

Foaly sighed. "Okay, okay," he replied. "While I release the pressure on the water gadgets, send a few men to check out the source of the sound coming from the northeast. I have a feeling it's got something to do with the fires," Foaly rationalized as he pressed a few buttons on his computer system, which drew up a map of Haven's town plan and pinpointed the locations of the water gadgets.

Root grunted over the radio. "We're already short-handed, Foaly!"

Foaly chuckled. "So now you realize the importance of having an extra girly captain on your team, Julius, no matter how crazy she may be."

He heard Root sigh impatiently over the radio. "If you're talking about Holly, I don't have time to debate about that with you. Wherever she is, I hope she's safe."

"Yeah, or Trouble will never forgive you," Foaly chuckled yet again, and depressed a few buttons on his computer system. Immediately, a water gadget was shown being blasted open on the computer screen, releasing a huge spray of water which arced high over a fire nearby, dousing it. He did it a few more times.

"Things are all right so far, Julius. Have you sent your men to check northeast Haven yet?" Foaly asked.

He could hear Commander Root grumble, and then call for Trouble Kelp. "Captain Kelp!" Root yelled. "Take a few men with you to northeast Haven and inform us of any signs of trouble. Pardon the pun."

Foaly could hear Trouble giving a short laugh, before he got all serious again. "Yes, Commander!" Trouble replied.

Foaly's eyes switched back to the computer screen. _I hope everything turns out okay, _he thought worriedly. _Or I'll never forgive myself for not watching Haven closely enough._

~*~

****

(Trouble's point of view)

Trouble choked on the smoke he had just inhaled, and berated himself for not wearing a face mask. He should have known following an unknown thing was hazardous. He waved over his shoulder for the men to hurry up. He loathed having to walk through so much smoke.

Trouble held his breath while he dove through another column of smoke, and realised that that beyond it, the sky was clearer than it had been back there, with just a slight, lazy cloud of smoke hanging above the ground. The ground ahead wasn't charred, and the trees aligning the side of the road were intact. Trouble was puzzled. Perhaps Foaly was right after all...

"Come on, men, hurry up," Trouble barked as he clutched his Neutrino 2000 for comfort. He ran up the road, looking out for any signs of activity, and shone a flashlight through the dense trees, just to see if anyone was hiding in there. Involuntarily, he shuddered. This deserted and creepy place gave him a sense of dread, and forthcoming danger.

Suddenly, he heard a 'phweet' sound, like a shrill whistle, instead of a 'boom' sound. _What a very weird place this is, _Trouble thought to himself, shivering again. He shone his flashlight around as he walked further up the trail.

"Anything suspicious, Trouble?" Commander Root's voice crackled through the radio, startling Trouble. Haven sounded a lot noisier back where Root was than here. Trouble glanced around himself before replying, "Not at the moment, Commander."

_Ph.....weeeeeeet!! _Trouble heard the sound again, before it was accompanied by a 'boom' sound. The ground shook gently beneath Trouble's feet.

"What's the eerie sound?" Root spoke again, and Trouble shrugged before he realised Root couldn't even see him do that. "I don't know," Trouble admitted, trudging further up the walk. "I've been hearing it ever since I came nearer here."

His flashlight shone on a dark figure, who flew away. It couldn't be a bird, because it had two legs. When the figure walked, there was an awkward gait to it. "Hey!" Trouble yelled, running after the figure. He heard his men panting behind him.

"What is it, Trouble?" Root asked.

"I think I saw someone, Commander...someone flying..."

Trouble hurried after the dark figure, who ran off towards the dense trees. "Stop there!" Trouble yelled after it. 

Trouble soon caught up with it, and pinned the figure to the floor. He removed the hood the figure had been wearing and was shocked to see who it was. His eyes flew wide open.

"HOLLY?!" Trouble cried in surprise, and in his amazement, let go of Holly. She merely stared at him, as if she couldn't recognize him, and flew up high. Her flight seemed to be aided by some buzzing thing connected to her arms. She stared at him again, and laughed out loud.

"Eh....hee hee hee HEE HEE HEE!" she laughed. Trouble was taken aback. This was hardly the Holly he knew, and loved. Holly _never _laughed like that. Nor did her eyes glint with such insanity. What happened to Holly?! 

"Wh-what are you doing here??" Trouble asked bewilderedly.

Holly didn't reply. She seemed to be oblivious to her surroundings. Instead, she fixed him with a steely glare. "This...has been....a...fun...game...but....Haven....will... perish..." she said gleefully, and burst into laughter again. She did not seem to notice how chopped up her sentences had become, as if she was no longer the Holly who was eloquent.

"Die...LEP....die...die....Haven, die....!!" she screamed, and with that, she depressed something on her belt, and a tiny missile shot out of it, making a 'phweet' sound. Trouble watched disbelievingly as it soared into the sky and fired towards downtown Haven, crashing with a satisfying 'boom'. Trouble soon figured out what had been making the sounds, and the fire.

"Holly....Holly..._what's wrong with you?!"_ Trouble started angrily. He knew this couldn't be Holly. Not the Holly he respected, not the Holly he loved. This wasn't the _special _Holly in his life, damn it! The men behind him were clearly shocked too. This couldn't be Holly, the girl who loved the LEP to death, nor could it be the Holly who thought of Haven as her home! Someone had taken over Holly!

"HOLLY!" Trouble screamed, trying to get Holly down.

"My name.....my name...my name's not Holly....leave me alone..." The Holly in the sky was moaning, clutching her head.

Trouble was adamant. "Holly....! I'm Trouble, it's me, come back to me, Holly..."

"My...my name...is...is not Holly....My...my name is not Holly...is not Holly...is not Holly...IS NOT HOLLY!" she screamed, as if her head was splitting in half. Immediately, it was as if an invisible hand pushed her forwards, and her body went limp as she sank to the ground, her flying tools failing her.

Trouble reached out to catch her before she could crumple to the ground. He ran a hand lightly over her face, a worried look etched out on his face. He watched anxiously as Holly's eyelids fluttered open, her eyes confused and befuddled. "T-Trouble?" she whispered.

"Oh, Holly.....Holly...." Trouble could hardly find the words. "I was so afraid you were gone, I was so afraid of what had happened to you..." His voice was shaking, and his heart ached with so much pain that he almost keeled over.

"Trouble," Holly said again, her voice getting weaker, before her eyelids shut and her head lolled to one side.

~*~

****

(Back to the Holly's point of view)

"Holly...! Holly...!"

"Won't someone help her?"

"Please! Somebody!"

"Holly! Holly....wake up..."

****

Holly could vaguely hear a lot of screaming from different people and noises that made her head spin. As much as she yearned to see what was going on, her eyelids just felt like they were weighted down with lead, making them so heavy that they refused to open.

"Get out of here!" a sharp voice sliced through the air.

"Who do you think you are?" a voice had risen to an angry pitch and retorted.

"I'm a doctor, that's who. Clear out so I can see the patient!"

A lot of grumbling ensued, before footsteps shuffled away. Holly felt so helpless. There was nothing wrong with her, was there? Why would she need a doctor?

"Holly...can you hear me?" The doctor's voice was soft and gentle, and Holly tried to respond, but the ache in her head made it difficult.

"Holly?" the doctor tried again.

"Ugh..." Holly groaned, and tried to open her eyes. A sheaf of dizzying images formed before her, and as her eyes tried to adjust to the new line of vision streaming through, she tried to speak.

"Wh...where am I?" she murmured groggily.

"Holly...are you all right?"

"H-how...did you know my name?" she said feebly, her eyes shifting to look at the doctor. Her vision began to get clearer.

The doctor sighed. "I guess I'm not really a doctor, Holly," the 'doctor' said softly, removing his stethoscope and long white coat, and his blonde wig.

"Th-then...who are you?" Holly asked, and she knew the answer the moment her vision cleared up.

"It's...it's Artemis, Holly. Do you remember me?" Artemis asked, fixing her hazel eyes with his piercing blue ones.

Holly sat up in shock, and a jolt to her brain immediately made her wince in pain. Artemis noticed this, and helped her lie back down. For Artemis to see her in such a vulnerable state made Holly feel conspicuous.

"Where am I?" she said softly, trying to ignore the dull ache in her head that refused to go away.

Artemis looked away. "You're back in Haven, Holly. You're back in your own home. It's where you wanted to be all along, right?"

Holly felt her heart thud unsteadily. She, too, refused to look at him. He thought that she resented staying at Fowl Manor. What he didn't know was that she thought otherwise.

"I...I guess," Holly replied slowly, unsure of her feelings and what to say. "Why are you underground, then? And how did you sneak in here?"

"I followed you here. To tell you the truth, I was afraid of what was going to happen to you. You were so..." Artemis trailed off.

Holly began to feel a sense of dread. "....What was I?" she asked timidly.

Artemis looked at a spot above her head, and Holly was tempted to turn around, but she knew there was nothing on the wall. "Well..." he began nervously. "You just weren't acting like yourself. Butler and I followed you to the McGraineys' farm where you boarded the shuttle. You arrived in Haven, and Butler and I followed you out....and then..." For the second time, an uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

Holly felt the tendrils of trepidation latch furiously onto her heart, keeping it still. She hardly dared to breathe. What had she done?

"...What did I do?"

Artemis refused to answer, and looked at his own shoes.

"What did I do, Artemis?" she repeated. She took him by the shoulders and forced his face up towards hers. _"Tell me!" _she said urgently.

Artemis swatted her hand away as if he didn't care, and looked stonily away from her. "Stop pestering me," he said coldly.

Holly felt indignant, and all traces of emotions for him vanished. "Why do you keep doing that?!"

"Doing what, Captain Short?" Artemis replied icily, and Holly noticed that her formal name was back in use, instead of the nice 'Holly' Artemis had used before.

"Act all nice and then so cold!" she spat, turning away from him furiously.

Artemis glared at her.

"Fine, be that way, you jerk," Holly yelled.

"Have you _ever_ considered the fact that I didn't want to tell you what atrocities you committed?" Artemis retorted.

"And why _wouldn't _you want to tell _me?_" Holly hissed.

"Because it'll hurt your feelings, and I'm definitely not the sadist you make me out to be!" Artemis snapped.

Holly was taken aback. It certainly wasn't the answer she'd expected from Artemis. Artemis misunderstood her silence for something else.

"But if you really want to know, Miss I-think-I-know-it-all, you went happily frolicking around the town you loved and blew up half of Haven, causing a devastation like no one had ever seen before. Butler and I saw it all."

Another shock was dealt to Holly, and she found she was at a loss for words. She had really done that? What on earth had possessed her to do that?

"But - but I - how did I - ?" Holly stuttered. She couldn't even recall taking the shuttle back to Haven! What on earth was going on?

"Are you _happy _with the _truth _now?" Artemis spat.

Holly felt her strong facade ebb away, exposing her to raw emotion. The shock of the news Artemis had just revealed was crushing her, as she tried to figure out what went wrong with her. 

_Did I go crazy again? Am I crazy in the first place? What's going on with my own mind?! I don't even know! I've never felt so helpless before!_ She felt the beginnings of tears form behind her eyelashes, but she struggled to keep them in. She was not going to cry. She had to be the strong Holly everyone knew. The strong Holly she was, and the strong Holly she wanted to be for the rest of her life. Artemis, noticing her distress, softened and was about to offer a tissue when suddenly, the door burst open, and a horde of LEP officers burst in. Artemis looked stunned as did Commander Root and Trouble Kelp, who stared confusedly at Artemis.

"How on EARTH did YOU get in here and why are you _here_?!" Commander Root boomed at Artemis.

Artemis tried a chuckle. "I can explain -"

"You were faking to be a doctor?!" Trouble cried.

Root was beside himself. "Get away from Holly, you troublemaker!" he yelled, unleashing his fury. Root wasn't in a very good mood, because of what had happened to Haven and because Artemis wasn't exactly his best friend. "You must have been behind this, you _criminal! WHAT KIND OF DESPICABLE CREATURE WOULD PUT A FAIRY UP TO THIS?!_"

"I didn't put her up to it -" protested Artemis.

"Exactly!" Trouble cut him off, agreeing with Root, his prejudiced views about Artemis taking over. "You act like you're concerned, but you're really just faking it! The fact that you used a disguise to come in here proves that you're just a _scheming, artful little swine!"_

"I'm -" Artemis began, but was cut off yet again.

"Yes! And why else would you come to Haven?! You just wanted to destroy us, didn't you?! You detestable D'Arviting Mud Boy, it's time for your repulsive schemes to come to an end! Men! Grab the Fowl boy and throw him into Howlers' Peak!" Root commanded angrily, his emotions about Haven getting the better of him as he jumped to conclusions.

"But I -" Artemis was having trouble keeping his own anger in control.

"SHUT UP!" Holly screamed.

Trouble looked at her concernedly. "Holly?"

Holly's voice shook violently as she tried to force her tears back. She was already feeling terrible, and they had to come in here and make so much noise, disturbing her thoughts as she tried to understand how she had lost control of her own self. 

_Can't everyone just get along with each other for a single minute?! Do they have to make things worse?! _she thought, already feeling very helpless.

"Just shut the D'Arvit up and get out of here," Holly said, trembling.

"Holly..." Trouble began, and put his arm around her shoulders, but Holly threw his arm off angrily, glaring at him with tear-filled eyes.

"_D'Arvit,_ Trouble! Just _leave me alone!" _she shrieked, taking Trouble by surprise.

"Okay, okay, Holly. Calm down," Trouble muttered. Commander Root took Holly's advice and quietly left the room. "I'll deal with you later, Mud Boy," he hissed at Artemis, whose blue eyes held no trace of emotion. Trouble gave Holly a last lingering look before he left, and even Artemis got up to leave.

Holly instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm. "Stay," she croaked, wondering why she wanted Artemis' presence.

Artemis turned, his blue eyes confused. "Why?" he inquired.

"I don't know...just...stay," Holly admitted. 

The confusion in Artemis' eyes gave way to amusement.

"I didn't know you needed me so _much_, Captain Short." He raised an eyebrow and tried not to smile.

"Cocky little piece of filth," Holly whispered, but she knew he was teasing her again, to make her feel better. And she did - at least, the tears in her eyes had subsided as a small smile began to grow on her face.

****

Author's Note: _I don't know if you found this chapter good. To be honest, I had a little writer's block here, so the plot and the ending probably sounded a bit weird. Dreadfully sorry. Meanwhile, continue to review, and I'm sorry that the relationship between Artemis and Holly hasn't lived up to some reviewers' expectations. (Apparently there isn't enough wit and sarcasm, and I'm really sorry about that.) The next chapter will explain why Holly set fire to Haven and also Artemis' explanation to the LEP. [And there's more, but I'm not giving away anything...:) ] Chapter 8 will probably be out on Saturday._


	8. All Is Revealed

****

Author's Note: _Another boring chapter. Sorry, the chapters that follow after a major event are always slow-moving. (Especially when there are explanations to be done.) I promise a better Chapter Nine, though, because....*winks* Well, I won't tell you what's going to happen after this chapter. You'll just have to wait! Muahaha! *laughs evilly*. Meanwhile keep on reviewing, and if there are any mistakes, please inform me. Thank you!_

Disclaimer: _Eoin Colfer owns the mentioned Artemis Fowl characters._

Chapter Eight: All Is Revealed

****

The next day

LEP Headquarters

Interrogation Room

(Artemis' point of view)

Holly and Artemis hadn't said anything much even though she had asked him to stay the day before. She had pretty much succumbed to sleep because it had been a tiring day, and Artemis sensed that Holly had decided that the details of her attack on Haven could wait. Artemis had felt that she needed to rest, and wisely decided not to talk to her, preferring instead to read a book while she rested. Artemis wondered how Butler was doing. They had separated ways after Haven was blanketed in flames. They promised to keep in touch, but yet, Artemis hadn't gotten a single message on the handphone he'd brought along. Nor had Butler called. But Artemis could not contemplate things for long, for once the sun had risen to denote the beginning of a new day, Artemis had been summoned to the LEP headquarters to do a lot of explaining. Before he left, Artemis had lightly run a hand over Holly's tousled hair, and thought about how deceivingly angelic Holly had looked when she was in her sleeping form. How strange it was that when she got up, she seemed to be a different person completely.

Right now, Root was trying to make things difficult for Artemis while Trouble sat on, watching.

"Okay, Fowl, explain why you're here in five words or less or you're going to Howlers' Peak," spat Commander Root.

Artemis looked up at Root and gave a smug smile. "I followed Captain Short here."

Root was steaming. "You honestly expect me to take that miserable five-word sentence for an explanation?!"

"The limit was five words. If you think it's easy, why don't you try telling me how you got to be an LEP officer in five words or less."

Root banged his hands on the table. "Stop playing around, Fowl, and answer the question!"

"I just did, or are you too old that you forgot?" Artemis replied coolly, raising his eyebrow as if to challenge Root.

Root decided not to tear his hair out and wring his hands around Artemis' scrawny little neck. He didn't think it would be wise to kill Artemis off before he had confessed to using Holly to destroy Haven. Instead, he rephrased his question.

"Never mind!" Root barked. "Just explain why you're here, D'Arvit!"

Artemis' blue eyes were expressionless, and he folded his arms across his chest. "I told you. I followed Captain Short here."

"Not _how...WHY, _you dimwit! Has your IQ deflated or something?!" Root yelled.

"So you _are _admitting that I'm smart - or at least, that I _was _smart," Artemis smiled. "And by the way, IQ points can't deflate, they're hardly gaseous."

"GAARGH!" Root roared. "I give up!" he shouted, and sank down on a chair.

"Temper, temper, Commander Root," Artemis tittered, and Root shot him a lethal glare. Trouble got up from his seat and patted Root comfortingly on the shoulder while he took over. He glared at Artemis before he proceeded.

"You're making things very difficult, Fowl," Trouble said dangerously. "If you're not going to own up, Holly's not going to be acquitted. How cruel can you get, Fowl? You've used her so many times. Firstly, as a hostage so that you can cheat the LEP of its money. Then, you send her to the Arctic where she almost loses her life just to save _your _father. Now, you won't even let her off? Do you really want to drive Holly to a corner and see her waste the rest of her useful life behind bars?"

Artemis looked away. _Oh, that hurt. How could Trouble say that I do not care about Holly? Doesn't he know that seeing her lose control of her own self hurts me so, because I cannot do a single thing about it? Doesn't he know that seeing Holly's crushed face after what she had done drives a knife into my heart?_

"Have you got nothing to say, you sly, scheming liar?" Trouble hissed.

"I didn't plan anything in the first place," Artemis hissed back.

"You _swine!" _Trouble exclaimed. "Tell the truth!"

"You want the truth? OK, I'll give you the truth. Everything Holly did had nothing to do with me! I found her jabbering away to herself a few days ago in the grounds of my estate. Her frantic voice kept telling me to save her from some 'voice', but I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Then she fainted, and I couldn't very well leave her there, could I?"

Trouble looked sceptical, but urged Artemis to go on.

"I brought her back to my manor, and she seemed normal. At least until yesterday. Somehow, after breakfast, she disappeared and Butler and I feared for her safety. We found her heading towards the shuttle port at Tara. She didn't recognize me."

"She didn't recognize me either," Trouble admitted. He began to believe Artemis - but just slightly. His version of the accounts seemed logical enough.

Artemis nodded. "Exactly. I thought something fishy must be going on, so Butler and I hopped onto the shuttle with her. We lost sight of her after we arrived at Haven. Butler and I tried to look for her, but to no avail. Then a while later, we spotted Holly going berserk and throwing explosives everywhere. The townspeople were screaming... and...and...panicking...and...dying..." Artemis trailed off as the vivid memory played back in his mind, and he shut his eyes. _Never have I seen such a miserable picture, _he thought. _Has humanity really lost a place in this world? _His heart seemed so heavy.

__

"Then what happened?" Trouble asked.

"Butler and I were separated in the chaos, but he promised to keep in touch with me. Meanwhile, I hung close behind Holly, trying to see where she went. Then...then she entered the forest, and you found her. I didn't dare to go too close to her because the LEP would have thought I had something to do with it. But I had to see her, and that's why I followed you back to her house, and pretended to be a doctor. That's about it, really."

Trouble had been distracted by something Artemis had said. "Why....why did you _have_ to see Holly?"

Artemis was careful not to express any emotion in his blue eyes. After having done it for so many years, he was a pro at it. No one could know about his feelings for Holly. They would laugh at him, and scorn him for being weak. So Artemis simply replied, "It's a personal reason of which I do not like to divulge."

Trouble stared at him strangely, as if he knew what Artemis meant. Before Trouble could say anything further though, Root cleared his throat.

"I'm not saying I completely believe you, Fowl..." Root began awkwardly. "But for the time being, I guess your story will do. We can use your testimony to prove Holly's innocence."

"One question I've been meaning to ask, Commander...why is Holly guilty?" Artemis asked. "Anyone who had seen her could tell it just wasn't the Holly we all know." _And love, _he added, mentally slapping himself for saying such a thing.

Root sighed, as his face turned ruddier. "Fowl...the 'voice' incident hasn't happened just once. It didn't just happen to you. That's why the LEP and I decided to let her take a break for a while, because she had been hearing voices in her head. We feared she was hallucinating, and it could be dangerous."

"What...what voice did she hear? Did she tell you?" Artemis asked, frowning.

Root gave Artemis a grim smile. "She said she heard her father."

"And saw him too, during an LEP raid. That's when it all started, really," Trouble added.

"Isn't Holly's father....dead?" Artemis asked.

"Yes," Root replied. "That's what made it so strange. So when Foaly told her the news the next day, she ran off, and we didn't know where she had gone. But according to your story, she must have boarded the shuttle without a destination in mind and ended up aboveground."

"And so the LEP thinks she's guilty of setting fire to Haven because it was an act of revenge?" Artemis rationalized.

Root nodded, and sighed. "The LEP is all ready to throw her into Howlers' Peak, unless we can convince them that Holly was under a spell, or something....but....now I'm starting to...question....what if - what if Holly really did do it? She has all the reasons to..."

Trouble shot Root a lethal glare, and Artemis spoke. "It won't do for us to try and analyse Holly like this. We'll have to question her as well."

Root nodded. "Let's go and visit Holly. But remember, Fowl..." Root growled. "I'm watching you."

~*~

****

(Holly's point of view)

"Holly...glad to see you're awake," Root greeted Holly, who was sitting up in bed.

"Would you be here if I weren't?" Holly grinned.

"Holly..." Artemis began, frowning. _He's deep in thought again. Doesn't he ever lighten up? _thought Holly. "Where did you go after breakfast?"

Holly pondered. "Well...I went for a stroll."

"Did you see or hear anything particularly strange?" Artemis went on.

Holly got uneasy. She had seen her father, but what would they think of her then? That she was really losing it? She knew her father was alive, there was no doubt about that, because he had felt so real - but here were three people who already thought she was crazy. _No, two people, _Holly corrected. _I don't know if Artemis thinks I'm crazy. I don't want him to._

"Tell us, Holly," Trouble urged gently, placing a soft hand on her shoulder. It weighed down heavily on her shoulders.

Holly sighed. "I heard my father." The hand on Holly's shoulder grew rigid. "You might think I'm crazy, but I promise you I'm not. I saw him too...and I...I touched him. He's real......he's alive. I have no doubt about it."

Commander Root's eyes had widened. "Holly..." he began, but Artemis cut him off. His blue eyes looked intense. He fixed them on her hazel eyes, and Holly felt a jolt. She looked down, embarrassed that her heart was beating erratically. She knew there was something different between them now, an unspoken truce, the silent extension of friendship. Or even something more.

"What did your father say to you, Holly?" Artemis said softly.

"He...he told me how the LEP had planned, and faked his death," Holly answered, and realized that Trouble had taken his hand away from her shoulders. She looked at him and realized he was looking quizzically at Root.

"Holly's father had been an LEP officer, and a good one at that. He was a hero to the civilians, and some people even thought he would get onto the council and change things for the better, because the council was very corrupt then," Root explained. "The people had to pay huge taxes to the LEP that they called 'protection money'. If the civilians wanted to make sure that the LEP would continue to uphold the security in Haven, they had to pay them."

Holly nodded. "My father was determined to get on the council and eliminate the corrupt council members. He worked hard to get onto the council, but because the council knew he was a righteous man, they didn't want their money-making scheme to come to an end."

Artemis frowned. "And then?"

Holly wrung her hands nervously. "They knew the only way to get rid of my father was to kill him."

Artemis nodded slowly, still deep in thought. "And then?"

"So - so they - they started a fire, and sent my father and a few other LEP men to put it out. Then - then - it turned out that one of the LEP men were bribed by the LEP council, and he - he pushed my father into the fire," Holly's voice shook. The fact that the LEP could be so unscrupulous unnerved her.

Artemis stood up and paced around the room. "Then the LEP assumed he was dead, and announced it to everyone. So that even if your father wasn't dead, it would be too late for him to come back - everyone would just think he was a ghost or a hallucination."

Holly nodded. "He told me how angry he was at the LEP, that they had forced him to live as a shadow, as a hermit. He wanted to take revenge on the LEP, and that now was the time to execute his plan. Then I - I asked him what kind of plans he had....and he - he just smiled," Holly murmured. "He just smiled at me, then I don't remember anymore."

Artemis had suddenly rushed to her side, and grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her face up to look at him. "What are you doing?!" Holly tried to ignore the warmth creeping up her cheeks. 

Artemis' blue eyes burned into hers. "You don't remember? You don't remember anymore?"

"Not a single inkling. I don't even remember how I got here!" Holly whispered into Artemis' ear.

"One last question, Holly," Artemis said softly. "Did your father look very healthy and strong?"

"No," Holly replied simply, trying to ignore the loud thud of her heartbeat in her ears.

"Brilliant....a very brilliant plan..." Artemis murmured, and left her side to look out of the window, and Holly's heart slowed its rate.

"What's brilliant, Fowl?" Root questioned.

Artemis turned to look at him. "I see it this way, Commander. Holly's father wanted to take revenge on the LEP, and he did that by destroying Haven so that many LEP lives would be lost in the fire, which ironically, is the same disaster that tried to kill him many years ago. But he doesn't seem to strong enough to set fire to Haven by himself. So he's smart enough to reveal himself to Holly, whom he knows loves him very much, and would do anything for him. So even if Holly tries to convince the LEP that she was being possessed by her father, the LEP would see it as an act of love and foolishness. Furthermore, Holly, too, has every reason to take revenge on the LEP - because they rendered her jobless for the time being. In this way, Holly would seem guilty - while her father gets away scot-free. Holly is a scapegoat in this scheme."

"My father wouldn't do that!" Holly protested. "He loves me!"

"See what I mean? He is playing with her emotions," Artemis replied. He smiled at her and touched her cheek lightly, sending her heart rate soaring. "I never knew there was such a soft side to you, Holly."

Trouble swatted his hand away. "Don't touch Holly," he snapped, and Artemis looked at him, surprised. Then he frowned, and the two glared at each other until Root noticed the tension and tried to ease it.

"Then what do we do now, Fowl?" Root barked.

"Simple. You can't very well prove Holly's innocence until you have her father in the flesh. So, we go and look for him," Artemis replied, breaking his gaze away from Trouble's, who sulked in a chair.

"Excuse me...._we?_" Root repeated, blinking his eyes. "What do we need _you _for?" he retorted.

Artemis was taken aback. "You can't very well go and look for Holly's father without a genius in your party, can you? You wouldn't know where to start."

The arrogant comments stung Root, who became vexed and lunged for Artemis. _"You......_arrogant _Mud Boy!" _he yelled, trying to strangle Artemis.

"Wait, Commander....! Artemis is right!" Holly said worriedly, fearing for Artemis' life. "We need some intelligent help!"

"HOLLY! DID YOU TAKE THE WRONG MEDICINE OR SOMETHING? THIS IS ARTEMIS FOWL!" Root shouted, and Holly cringed. She noticed Trouble giving her a very strange look.

"You almost sound as if you care for him," Trouble said oddly.

"I do not!" Holly objected vehemently, feeling flushed. _That would be too absurd!_

_Ring, Ring! _Artemis' handphone rang, and Root and Artemis froze amidst their battle positions.

"Excuse me, Commander, your assault on me will have to take a backseat for a while. Pardon me while I answer the phone."

"Make it snappy!" Root growled, all ready to kill Artemis.

Artemis smiled calmly and picked up the phone. "Artemis Fowl speaking.....what? Hello, Butler, where have you been?"

"GAAAAAAARGH!" Root screamed. There was still a lot of steam in him which needed to be let out, and here was Artemis, _slowly _conversing on the _bloody _handphone! Holly chuckled. Her commander was really too polite sometimes, waiting for Artemis to finish up his personal call before continuing to kill him.

"Ah...I see. Shall we meet somewhere? I've got a bit of Holly matters to attend to, and I'll certainly need to enlist your martial help," Artemis said coolly, leaning casually against the window-frame while Root paced around the room like a rabid tiger waiting to unleash its fury. Seeing Artemis so casual brought butterflies to Holly's stomach, although she wasn't sure why.

"HURRY UP, MUD BOY!" Root snarled.

"Okay, see you there," Artemis replied. "On the other hand...." Artemis began again, smiling sadistically at Root.

Holly knew Artemis was just playing for time. Commander Root must have seen through his plan too, and immediately knocked the handphone out of Artemis' hand. Artemis looked shocked. "Commander Root, that was the latest Sony Ericsson T68i! It cost a bomb and you just spoilt it."

"SHUT UP!" Root said, and throttled Artemis.

"Oh, stop being so childish, Commander Root!" Holly barked. "We have to find my father soon. I have a few questions to ask him myself. I don't believe he would use me like that..."

Trouble helped Holly out of bed. "Go and get changed, Holly, and we'll set off."

Holly nodded. "Meanwhile, Trouble, do take care of things here, won't you?"

Trouble looked over Holly's shoulder and to the scuffling pair on the ground. He smiled dangerously as evil thoughts of killing Artemis formulated in his mind. 

"Sure," Trouble replied, earning a smile from Holly.


	9. Romancing Holly

****

Author's Note: Patience, Eleida. :) All will be revealed in due time. Meanwhile, the competition to win Holly's heart heats up. The following chapter may get a bit draggy, because I had a bit of writer's block from not writing for such a long time (I had to study for next week's exams so it's been a VERY long time since I last used the computer) but anyway, here's Chapter Nine. Enjoy!

__

Chapter Nine: Romancing Holly

****

(Artemis' point of view)

"Is everyone ready?" Artemis inquired.

"Bossy little Mud Boy, aren't you, Fowl?" grumbled Root.

Artemis ignored Root's comment and asked him, "Have you asked Foaly to run a scan on where Holly's father may be?"

"He practically gave us a virtual map to track Holly's father's movements," Root grumbled some more before pulling out a small device that reminded Artemis of a GameBoy. Artemis looked over and saw a red dot bleeping away merrily on an area labelled "China".

"We're going to China?" Artemis blustered.

Root shrugged. "So that's what you call the place."

"But it's winter there now, we'll freeze," Artemis rationalized.

Root glared at him. "Who's going to freeze more, me or you?" Root snapped, trying to remind Artemis of the fact that fairies didn't like the cold either.

"Stop bickering, the two of you! The least you could do on this trip is to give us a bit of peace around here," Holly piped up behind them, and Artemis turned around to look at her, feeling his heart rate speed up at the sight of her. Artemis hated to admit it, but even though Holly looked just as plain as ever (for she wasn't a very feminine person and didn't know the first thing about dress sense like Juliet), he thought that she looked exceptional in a way, even under the hood she was wearing to shield her face from the rest of Haven, so that they wouldn't rat on her and betray her to the LEP. Funny how your judgement is affected when you're in...

_Love? Is that it, Artemis? _he asked himself, confused, while Holly nudged him in the shoulder. Everyone had begun moving except for Artemis, who was lost in his own thoughts.

"Come _on_, slowpoke," she huffed, but Artemis knew better. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and her tone was teasing and light, showing she didn't really mean it. "You're so bloody slow. Can't you move faster? And I thought _you _said you had some physical training from Butler. Doesn't seem to have worked, has it?"

Artemis grinned, amused. "Does that mean you've actually been checking me out?" he replied.

Holly looked at him with indignation, her eyes the size of saucers. A flush crept up her cheeks and she sputtered, "Th-th-that's _preposterous_! There's_ nothing_ to see _anyway!" _she retorted, before turning away from him. Artemis smiled pleasantly. The fact that tough cookie Holly even blushed showed that she thought differently. It wasn't in Holly's character to blush.

"What's Mud Boy said to you that's gotten you all flustered, Holly?" Trouble asked gently as he put an arm around Holly's shoulders, as if he owned her. Artemis' eyes narrowed as a burning sensation made its way to his heart. Was this what people called...jealousy?

"Nothing!" Holly snapped, her face still aflame. She caught Artemis' eye and immediately looked away haughtily. Artemis knew it was all an act - Holly hated to be embarrassed.

"All right, all right, let's get moving, people," Root ordered, shuffling through the ruins of Haven. People had begun reconstructing the city of Haven, but judging by the charred and fallen buildings everywhere, it was going to take some time. Holly tried not to look conspicuous as they moved through the town. Artemis knew she wasn't going to risk being caught by the LEP. Why Trouble and Root had decided to help Holly instead of the LEP, he didn't know, but he guessed they both had a soft spot for her, just as he did. It was hard not to feel for her, Artemis thought to himself.

"Hold up, people," Artemis called out behind them, and three LEP officers turned around to face him.

"Are we too fast for Mud Boy?" Root snickered.

"We're forgetting Butler," Artemis said, ignoring Root's remark. "I promised him we'd meet him. You _do _need his martial expertise anyway."

"Er - like - _WHERE _exactly is he? His size isn't hard to miss but strangely, _I _don't see him _anywhere, _and I have perfect vision," Root retorted.

"We're supposed to meet him at the Honeybee Inn," Artemis said calmly.

Root and Trouble choked, and Holly turned red immediately.

"_Honeybee _Inn? Are you _sure?_" Root chortled.

Artemis shrugged, bewildered by their reactions. Root tried to calm himself down, and the red colour of Holly's face had paled considerably. Trouble and Holly shared a smile before Root showed them the way to a dark, dingy alley with a tangible stench that clung to the walls. Artemis wrinkled his nose, wondering what the heck Butler was doing in such an unrefined place.

Neon lights greeted the party of four as they entered a new area of Haven. Smoke from the recently put-out fire rose up to greet them as they walked through the area. Signs hung limply over provocative-looking shops, and Artemis involuntarily shuddered. This wasn't what they would call Haven's "red-light district", was it?

The four of them stopped outside a grimy inn, its sign knocked askew. The electronic sign flickered, reading "Honeybee Inn", with a picture of a nude woman beside it. Artemis hastily averted his eyes, embarrassed. _What is Butler _thinking, _staying in a place like this? _he thought. _No wonder Root, Trouble and Holly reacted like that. _Holly cleared her throat and tried not to laugh at Artemis' discomfort.

"Well..." she drawled. "Here we are."

"Aren't you going in, Artemis?" Trouble asked him, his eyes glinting wickedly.

"Er..." Artemis hesitated.

"Come on, be a man."

Artemis shot Trouble a lethal glare before he gulped and opened the door.

_If my mother was here, she wouldn't have tolerated this. She wouldn't even allow me to step into a filthy place like this! _he thought as he entered, causing bells to tinkle, signalling his arrival.

"I say!" a woman was now saying, her face heavily made up. "You're a bit young to come lookin' for girls, aren't ya?"

"Er, well, actually, I was looking for a man."

The woman's eyes shot up in alarm. "What are ya, gay?"

Artemis reddened. "Oh, no, no, of course not!" He felt very uneasy, and what little clothes the woman was wearing unnerved him. He felt very uncomfortable talking to people of such low calibre, as if they might influence him into what they were doing for a living. He shuddered.

"Then whatcha doin' here, boy?" the lady asked, her eyes sceptical.

"I was - I was looking for a big-sized man called Butler. You - you don't happen to have him here, do you? He - he told me he'd be here."

The lady thought for a minute. "We don't got no gigolo named Butler."

"He's - not - working - here," Artemis gritted his teeth, his feet shifting nervously. "I think he's staying here."

The lady stared at him, pondering. _Any moment now she'll pounce on me, _he thought nervously. After a moment she spoke, and Artemis almost cringed, afraid of what she might do to him. "Ah! I remember now. That large, sexy hunk of a man." She giggled, and Artemis shivered. "He's upstairs. Won't say much. I'll get him down for ya. Whatcha say your name was?"

"I didn't say my name....but it's Artemis."

"Ooh la la," the lady giggled, before she leapt up the stairs, calling "But---ler!!"

Artemis drummed his fingers on the counter impatiently. He looked behind him, and remembered about Holly, who was waiting outside.

_What could she and Trouble be doing now? _he thought, his fingers momentarily stopping their rhythm. _Does Holly like him? Will she reciprocate his obvious affections?_

"Artemis!" a deep voice rang out, and Artemis turned his attention on the giant of a man who strode towards him now. The provocative woman stood behind him, giggling. Artemis regarded Butler with a cool smile and opened the door to exit. He turned around to speak to Butler.

"Well, hurry up, won't you? We haven't got all day," he said placidly, before shutting the door and causing the bells to tinkle once more.

****

Somewhere out of Haven

A few hours after the previous scene

Night

(Holly's point of view)

It had been a few hours since they had left Haven, and Artemis, Root and Trouble had turned in for the night, but Holly realized that she couldn't sleep. The events of the day came back to her as she lay on the makeshift bed in the tent that had been set up in the middle of a grassland near the outskirts of Haven. It had been Root's idea to get some rest before they went aboveground, so they had set up a few tents on an open grassland outside Haven. It rather reminded Holly of the training camp she had been through in order to get into the LEP.

She chuckled for a moment as she recalled Artemis' reaction at realizing that the Honeybee Inn was Haven's most famed indecent place. Butler had explained how he had gotten there - it was the only inn left in town that offered a place for him to sleep, because the rest had been badly destroyed by the fire. It wasn't as if he had enjoyed the provocative lady's advances on him as well. He had had no choice.

Holly rolled over. Outside, she could see, and hear the fire crackling. Artemis had wisely decided to set up a fire in case they all froze to death in the night, being that they weren't residing in a proper house with blankets and all. Holly smiled at his thoughtfulness, something she hadn't seen in him since the last four years. Or had it always been there, just that she had never bothered to notice?

Holly sat up and opened the tent flap. She saw Butler sitting outside. Looks like she wasn't the only one who wasn't able to get any sleep. She walked over to him, and decided to start up a conversation.

"Can't get any sleep, Butler?" Holly asked, warming her hands by the fire.

"Uh-huh," Butler replied, staring into the open field beyond. Holly knew this man never said anything much. But unlike Artemis, Holly found it easier to approach this man, because every time she approached Artemis, she had a funny feeling in her gut or the feeling that Artemis could see right through her, and she wasn't sure if she liked it.

Holly sat down next to Butler, enjoying his friendly company, even if he wasn't talking. After a few moments of silence, though, she felt like she _had _to say something, even only if it was to be polite. She remembered what Artemis had said to her the night they had stayed up and talked. The night he had accused her of being judgemental.

_"....It appears your perception of me is based entirely on your own coloured and prejudiced views. Have you asked Butler what I really am? Have you asked my mother? Have you asked my father? How about Juliet? I know I may not have many friends, but have you ever asked yourself why? Why are you so quick to judge, Captain Short?"_

Holly turned to Butler and spoke, feeling the desire to answer the burning question in her heart: Who is the real Artemis?

"Butler...what's Artemis like at home?" Holly asked.

Butler kept quiet for a moment before he turned to her and smiled. Just a very small smile. "Why do you ask, Holly?"

"Oh....it's - it's just something he said," Holly murmured.

Butler turned his head to stare at the greenery beyond. "I know Artemis appears to be very unapproachable and arrogant, and that is further confirmed by the fact that he doesn't have many friends. But he's a very pleasant person in general - he's just very lonely and doesn't know how to cure that loneliness. He doesn't know how to make himself happy because he's been singled out by society when he was young - you know, being a genius and all. People don't naturally make friends with him."

"Really!" Holly said, surprised. She felt almost sad for Artemis.

Butler turned to look at her and smiled. 

"But you know, Holly, Artemis is very concerned about you."

Holly put her hands to her cheeks, feeling the warmth of her fingers seep through them. Her heart began beating to a lively rhythm. Suddenly she didn't feel very cold anymore.

"What - what do you mean?" she muttered, trying to elude the topic.

"I don't know....I just see it. I know Artemis inside out. He's a master at covering up his emotions. But the day you lost your mind...the day you lost control of yourself...he went berserk. It's funny the way he couldn't hide his emotions. Perhaps when it comes to you, he doesn't know how to handle his feelings."

Holly felt that tingly feeling in her stomach again, but ignored it. "He doesn't know how? Tell him it's easy. He hates me, he just has to close one eye and let me die in my own insanity!" Holly replied.

Butler laughed, and Holly was shocked. _You mean it's not true? _she thought.

"It's the truth!" Holly insisted.

Butler smiled at her again, shaking his head. "I wonder. I wonder if that _is _the truth. I think Artemis is very fond of you."

"Don't make me puke."

"I mean it. I think he likes you."

Holly shivered, yet she wasn't cold. "Stop it, it's not funny," Holly retorted, her cheeks burning. She hated the feelings in her that confused her so much, tossing her about like a limp rag doll. 

"All right," Butler turned away from her, chuckling to himself.

"I mean...we're not even of the same _species_!" Holly shouted.

Butler shrugged. "Sure sounds like you're in denial."

Holly stood up furiously and shook a finger at him. "You...._you _are talking gibberish!" she yelled.

"Calm down, Holly!" Butler cried. "At this rate you're going to wake up everyone." Butler looked nervous. "I didn't mean to agitate you."

"Just....just _stop _joking around with me!" Holly shouted.

"Okay, okay," Butler said hastily.

"What's going on?" a sleepy voice rang out, and a bemused Artemis came out of his tent.

Holly's and Artemis' eyes locked and she flushed furiously. _Did he hear what Butler and I were talking about?_

"Holly?" she heard Artemis coming up behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder. His voice was interlaced with obvious concern, and Holly tried her very best to ignore the rushing feeling that raced along her veins and gathered at the spot where Artemis' hand laid. She fought a battle within herself - whether to shrug off Artemis' hand or to leave it there, where it felt lovely. She almost slapped herself mentally.

_LOVELY? YOU MEAN REPULSIVE! _she screamed in her head.

"Is everything all right?" Artemis asked softly, his breath warming up her ear.

Holly shut her eyes and balled her hands into fists. "Leave me alone!" she said loudly. _And be the sarcastic person you used to be! _she added mentally, and stormed off to her own tent.

She heard Artemis' bewildered voice behind her as she stalked off, and tuned out.

_Please...please whoever it is who decides the stupid fates of people...please let me be normal again...please let me be okay around Artemis...please stop giving me confusing feelings!_

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

__

Well, I don't know why Holly is so angry with me, but if the need calls for it, I will tell her my feelings.

I'll just have to get that Trouble out of the picture though.

He's obviously besotted with her as well.

I think I'll get Holly on a date tomorrow to talk things out with her.

****

(Trouble's point of view)

_I must have Holly eating out of the palm of my hand!_

I must make her love me as much as I love her!

Too bad that Artemis wants to challenge me in loving her as well. I know it, I can see it in his eyes.

Strange how that stinking Mud Boy managed to fall for Holly as well.

I won't give up until Holly picks who she wants!

I'll get her on a date tomorrow, once we're free.

~*~

****

The next morning

Tara Settlement

(Back to Holly's point of view)

__

The party of five packed up their things and were ready to go to the next town, Tara. Once they reached there, they could rest again and then board the shuttle to aboveground the next morning. Holly tried to ignore Artemis throughout the whole thing. She was very unsure of how to act towards him, because of the way her heart made her feel. Whether she liked him, she didn't know; and whether she hated him, she didn't know either. So ignorance was bliss, as most people would say, and therefore Holly decided to keep a distance from him. Everything would work itself out then. Then everything would be perfect.

Everything would be perfect, that is, if Artemis got the picture, which he clearly hadn't.

"Holly...I'm sorry," Artemis said quietly while she tried to stuff her neatly folded tent into her backpack.

"Sorry for what?" she snapped, hardening her heart.

"That's the whole point. Could you tell me?"

"Hmmph," she grunted, putting on her backpack and walking right past him. Immediately her heart gave a twinge.

_Don't give in, Holly, your heart is just confusing you... You hate Artemis. You hate Artemis, you hate Artemis..._

She heard Artemis sigh before he followed silently behind her. Holly walked quickly, trying to catch up with Root. Immediately Trouble appeared before her, a bunch of daisies in one hand.

"Flowers for a pretty young lady, ma'am?" he grinned at her. "I plucked it fresh from the grasslands just now." Holly tried to smile. She hated flowers, but she tried to appreciate the gesture. After all, Trouble was only being nice.

"Thank you," she said, and received the flowers from Trouble's hand. Trouble smiled and walked beside her. When she thought Trouble wasn't looking, she turned around and stashed the bouquet in her backpack. When she looked up and her eyes met the chilling blue of Artemis', she shuddered and turned back around, just as quickly, but not before he saw her flash a glare at Trouble, who glared back.

"I think we'll stop by there for a while," Root ordered, pointing up to a fairy settlement ahead, which must have been Tara. "I need food."

"Need a drink of water, Holly?" Trouble asked beside her, but Holly was in no mood to answer him. She still needed to sort out her own feelings, and merely shook her head. The scenery ahead suddenly became very interesting as she continued to stare at the town of Tara beyond, ignoring Artemis.

"How about a bit of food?" Trouble asked persistently. _God, he was relentless, wasn't he? _Holly thought, and shook her head. She heard Artemis' voice ring out.

"She wants you to leave her alone," he told Trouble. Her head whipped around, surprised that he knew what she was thinking, and immediately Holly got that tingly feeling again. Meeting Artemis' serious and icy gaze, she longed to go over and sit next to him and talked like they had that night. Holly was surprised at what she was thinking, and averted her gaze.

"Actually," she said loudly, a little too loudly, "I don't mind Trouble's concern," she said, giving Artemis a triumphant look. Artemis merely regarded her coolly, and Holly felt strange. Guilty, too.

The party of five reached Tara and Root booked a few rooms for the night at a small inn. Holly walked slightly ahead of Artemis, with Trouble sticking to her like a leech. Artemis was alone...again, since Butler was up ahead with Root.

"Why are you like this, Holly?" Artemis whispered in her ear as she put down her backpack, and Holly felt a tingling sensation on her arms. It was weird after how badly she treated him, he was still able to have that effect on her. Holly was angry with him - and with herself, for being so damn stupid about her feelings. She continued to ignore him, and lavished her attention instead on Trouble, who was obviously glad about it.

"Holly...I'd like to ask you something." Trouble asked.

"What is it?" Holly said distractedly. Artemis was glaring at Trouble, and Holly was trying to figure out why. _WHY do you care what Artemis is doing anyway? _she scolded herself, and looked away.

"Well...if you're free this afternoon...shall we go on a date?"

Holly's attention snapped back to Trouble. "What? A date?" she repeated. "Are you kidding me...?"

Trouble looked uneasy. "I've been meaning to say something to you, Holly, but it's not right to say it now. So can we go for lunch or something and I'll tell you?"

Holly gave him a strange look. "Er..." she hesitated. "Okay."

_If what Butler says is true about Artemis liking me, well then I'll spite him by going out with Trouble!_

~*~

****

Still in Tara

Holly's hotel room

About seven in the evening

(Still Holly's point of view)

Holly was exhausted. She had a right to be, after all the steps she'd taken to avoid Artemis. She tried hard to respond to Trouble's advances, even though she didn't like them very much. She was now fully aware that Trouble liked her, from all the concern he'd showed her, and when Trouble had asked her out on a date that afternoon, she had agreed. It didn't go very well though. First of all, Trouble had given her yet another bouquet of flowers. He must have bought them at a Tara shop, for they smelt fresh and looked it, too. Sad to say, Holly never really liked flowers. It wasn't really her thing.

Secondly, when she kept drifting away from reality, Trouble tried too hard to bring her back down to earth, and it irritated the hell out of her. She knew she shouldn't feel so frustrated towards him, because he had been nothing but nice to her, but every time she tried to respond to Trouble's efforts at keeping her interested, she only saw him as a friend. Then she would think that it was a pity his eyes were brown and not blue, that he could never understand what she was going through, nor say things in a way that tore her between laughing and decking him. In short, he was no Artemis, although Holly had absolutely no idea why she was thinking that. It wasn't as if she liked Artemis or anything.....right?

Holly shook her head, trying to get Artemis out of her head. She switched back to thinking about Trouble. He had said that he liked her. There was nothing wrong with that, but the sad fact was that she didn't like him back. She said she would think about it though, and here she was, thinking about it.

And thinking.

And thinking.

Trouble wasn't so bad, really. Granted, he was a bit boring at times, but he was obviously in love with her and was ready to do anything for her. He was a stable person whom she could rely on. If she opened her heart up a bit more, maybe she'd eventually be charmed by him.

Somebody knocked on her door, and Holly sat up. "Who's there?" she called.

"It's a century old ghost. Boo," someone said dryly behind the door.

Holly flung the door open. It was Artemis. "Ghosts aren't solid," she replied. "Or has your brain started to malfunction and you forgot?"

"Oh, the horror, the horror!" Artemis replied theatrically, before fixing her eyes with his. "It's me."

Holly knew it was him the moment he had spoken. Her heart started to beat erratically and she looked away. "I know it's you. Go away," she said.

"Why don't you want me around, Holly?"

"Because."

"That's hardly an excuse, it's not even a sentence. But I forgot, you're not that intelligent."

"Did you come here to laugh at my poor sentence structure, then?"

"No," Artemis said, in all earnestness. "I'm here to find out why you've been so cold to me."

Holly felt the loud thuds of her heart answer in shame. "Was I ever affectionate towards you?" she replied, lifting her chin haughtily.

Artemis lifted a hand and brought her chin down. The very touch sent her pulse rate soaring and her cheeks aflame. _What did I ever do to react this way towards a person like Artemis? _she thought, struggling with her feelings.

"Well, let's see how affectionate you can be. Will you honour me with your company tonight?" Artemis said softly, and a tingle ran down Holly's spine.

"Why should I?" Holly said, and looked away.

Artemis smiled, and turned her face towards his. "Because."

"That's hardly an excuse, it's not even a sentence. You told me so yourself, Mr. Intelligent," Holly retorted.

"I see you're learning from me. I didn't know you respected my intelligence that much."

Holly flushed hotly and turned away from Artemis, closing the door on him. Her chest heaved heavily, and the conversation between them reeled in her head. She tried to calm down.

"I'm still out here, in case you didn't know," Artemis' voice rang behind the door.

"Don't you understand the meaning of rejection?" Holly shouted back.

"No. Even though I have a wide range of vocabulary, that particular word is not inside. You're running away, Holly."

"Running away from what? Your ugly face?" Holly spat.

"You're running away from your feelings."

Holly whirled around and opened the door again. "I am not!" she said loudly in his face.

Artemis merely smiled serenely. "Yes, you are."

"I AM NOT!" she shouted for effect, raising herself to her full height.

"You are."

"I'm not and I'll go with you to wherever you're going to prove it!" she said angrily.

"Ah, so you've finally agreed to honour me with your company," Artemis replied, and the realization sank into Holly's brain.

"That was a trick!" she replied furiously. "You're such a sly, _scheming_...!"

"Thank you," Artemis said, his eyes laughing at her. "Will you take my hand now?" He offered his hand to lead her down the hallway.

"No!" Holly fumed.

"Okay, then I will take yours," Artemis replied cheerily, and placed his palm in hers. Holly's face was flushed with crimson, and her cheeks felt hot all the way until they were outside in the cool night air.

"Hmm. Let's see. Where do you want to go?" Artemis asked politely.

"I don't know and I don't care!" Holly retorted.

"Getting a bit grouchy, are we?" Artemis replied coolly, raising an eyebrow.

"I am _not _grouchy!"

"And denying it too."

"Move before I kill you," Holly hissed. "I have a lot of reasons to."

"For what? Making you blush?"

"I _do not blush!" _Holly screamed at him, and a few passers-by stared at her.

Artemis grinned. "Right you are, Holly. So I guess your face is red because you painted it."

Holly wisely decided not to reply and gripped on tighter to Artemis' hand, obviously hoping to crush the bones in his fingers.

"I say. I didn't know you liked to hold my hand so much."

Holly promptly dropped his hand and gritted her teeth. She watched as Artemis scanned the area for a place to go to.

"Why did you ask me out?" she asked Artemis curiously.

He only smiled mysteriously at her, and Holly shuddered. Funny how she could flit between her emotions so quickly when it came to Artemis. One moment she could joyfully have murderous thoughts in her head, and another she could feel her heart melt at the sight of his rare, genuine smile.

"Let's ride a gondola on Tara's cable car network. I heard it's famous in the fairy world, and I haven't tried it," Holly spoke, breaking the silence.

"So be it," Artemis replied, following Holly's lead as they jostled through the crowd that appreciated Tara's nightlife.

"We'd like to ride the cable car please," Holly told a man who stood at the controls. He grinned at them.

"Ah....you're a couple eh?"

"No," said Holly, while Artemis said "yes".

The man chuckled. "Such young love. Makes me recall about my wife. Too bad she's gone now."

The man noticed an empty cable car that was coming their way, suspending from a long cable railway, and stopped it. Holly hadn't seen anything like it before. It was like a little train compartment, also known as a cabin, that hung from a long cable wire that was attached to specific poles around the Tara network. She wondered if the cable would be strong enough to support their weight. Oh well, she couldn't back out now. And she wouldn't tell Artemis that she was nervous about the ride. She had too much pride. Besides, her reason was something she only kept to herself.

"Have fun," he said while he ushered them in. Artemis murmured a thank-you and clambered into the car, sitting opposite a nervous Holly.

"You haven't been in one of these before?" Artemis inquired.

"Have you?" Holly countered.

"Of course. When I was young my parents used to take me to countries around the world. Some of them had cable cars like this one."

Holly gripped her seat tightly as it began to move, and shut her eyes. She hated looking weak in front of Artemis.

"You're afraid of heights, Holly?" she heard Artemis ask.

"No," she said feebly. She tried to be strong, but feeling the cable car move made her heart beat to a shaky note of finality. There was no one sitting beside her. She felt so alone.

"You _are _afraid of heights," she heard Artemis cross over to her side and sit down beside her, and when the cable car swayed, it was all Holly could do not to scream out loud. She had to be strong. She had to get over the weak Holly.

"I - I didn't know - that - that it was so high up," Holly whispered, her stomach lurching as the cable car moved forward with every inch. _Every inch to her death, _she thought morosely. She hated feeling so weak.

_I mean, flying is okay. But I hate this kind of situations. I hate that I'm not in control of how high this thing will be. At least when I'm flying I know how high to go, or far off from the ground I am. But I hate riding in high things which I have no control over._

She felt Artemis put an arm around her. "You should have told me, Holly. We could have done something else," he said softly.

"I'm...I'm not scared. Who said I was?" she said shakily, refusing to open her eyes.

Artemis squeezed her shoulder. "It's okay to be scared, Holly. I'm here."

"I just - I just hate being left so high up...and not be able to do a thing about it. I mean...if it crashes all the way to the ground below I can't even - can't even do a darn thing about it. Can't even fly out to save myself. Because we're...we're locked in."

"It's going to be all right, Holly." Artemis whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her ear. She felt an odd sense of comfort as a strange feeling began to grow in her body.

"Don't...don't laugh at me...okay?" Holly whispered back.

"I'm not laughing, Holly. Why should I laugh at you?" he countered.

"Because you hate me," Holly replied. She felt Artemis remove his hand from her shoulder, and she felt lost once again. She wished he had left it there.

"Ar...Artemis?" she called out, daring to open her eyes. The sight of Tara below her sent her head spinning and dizzily, she closed them again.

"I'm here, Holly," Artemis replied. His voice seemed so far away. Then he scooted closer to her and lifted her face to his.

"Open your eyes, Holly, and look at me."

"I - I can't...it's so high up.."

"No....it's not. It's not. Don't think about it. If you look into my eyes, and only into my eyes, you won't see the ground below you."

"R-really?" Holly said shakily.

"Trust me, Holly," Artemis whispered.

Holly gently opened her eyes and was surrounded by a sea of blue.

"You're...you're right.." she said, getting lost in so much blue.

"Holly...why do you think I hate you?"

Holly couldn't look away. She would rather bear with lying to Artemis straight in the face than scream with fright at the sight of Tara below her. "Because...because you do."

Artemis' eyes looked so sad, and Holly felt her own heart break. Artemis let go of her face. "On the contrary, Holly, that's not how I feel."

"Then...then what...?" Holly whispered. The strange feeling in her gut had started up again.

"I'm...I'm not very eloquent at sharing my feelings," Artemis replied softly, and smiled gently at her. "So I'll show you, but you must promise not to scream."

"I won't. I hope," Holly replied, smiling back. What was he going to do to her?

And then, sliding his arms around her waist, Artemis leaned forward and kissed her.


	10. Holly Loses Control Again

****

Author's Note: _Yikes! Been a week since I updated. Really really sorry, but I've been studying for my exams, which will end on Wednesday. So that means the next chapter will be out on Thursday! :) Meanwhile, keep on reviewing! I thank you from the bottom of my heart._

Disclaimer: _Eoin Colfer owns the mentioned Artemis Fowl characters._

Chapter Ten: Holly Loses Control Again

****

(Holly's point of view)

It was safe to say that Holly had been taken by surprise. Her first reactions were to throw him overboard, or slap him for his audacity. Maybe even hit him on the nose or jump on his face. Because how could he be so bold, kissing her like that?!

Yet, the beauty of the kiss was that she had kissed him back. She didn't know what had possessed her to do it; it was just an instinctive reaction. Now she knew, deep down in her heart, in her very own heart, there lay a whole new sphere of feelings she hadn't known she had.

Artemis had pulled away when the cable car came to a halt. The door jerked open, just like Holly jerked back to reality. Her heart was racing at an immensely fast speed, and she suddenly felt shy. She looked down at her own hands, not knowing what to say.

"The cable car's stopped. Shall we get out?" Artemis inquired.

Holly didn't trust herself to speak, and merely nodded. The two stood awkwardly in the open air, the night breeze blowing Holly and Artemis' hair about.

"Well..." Artemis began, and trailed off.

"Well..." Holly repeated dumbly.

Artemis grinned at her. "I can see I'm not the only one suffering from the effects of our shared kiss."

Holly felt a flush rise up to her cheeks. "Oh! You cocky piece of filth! Did I say I enjoyed it?!" she cried indignantly.

"You certainly reacted very pleasantly."

Holly turned away from him, suddenly embarrassed. She felt Artemis' arms slide around her waist, and instantly felt a little tingle down her spine. He whispered in her ear tenderly.

"Don't be angry, Holly, okay?"

"I'm not angry!" she said loudly.

Artemis chuckled. "You have a tendency to really overreact."

Holly fumed, and felt Artemis' arms leave her. She turned around to face him, bewildered. She had liked his arms there, keeping her secure.

"Come along now, Holly, it's getting late," Artemis called out, walking casually away from her.

"Wait up, you jerk!" Holly yelled, running after him.

"You need me so much. I'm so touched," Artemis said sardonically.

Holly couldn't care less. She was feverish with joy, her heart hammering out a lively rhythm; so loud that she was afraid her heart might injure itself. Although Artemis hadn't directly said that he liked her, Holly was pretty sure of it by now. Holly looked at her feet while she walked, not daring to spoil such a tender moment. Artemis clearly wanted to remember it too, keeping quiet while they walked towards the hotel. Their footsteps echoed in the shy silence that hovered between them; but Artemis was the one who finally broke it. He took her by the shoulders and lifted her chin, and Holly trembled at this gesture of affection.

"Are you happy, Holly?" Artemis inquired, frowning. It was strange how he could be so sarcastic one minute, and then not know what to say next.

"Delirious," she whispered back, smiling.

Artemis broke into a bashful smile. "That's good," he murmured, and gently slipped his hand into hers, causing yet another flush to rise up in Holly's cheeks. Not many words that were kept hidden at the bottom of their hearts could be expressed between them, maybe because of pride or an uncertainty of how to react, but Holly understood. It was funny how she could lose her head, or even her strong personality, over a seemingly trivial matter like love. It hadn't seemed important before. Now it was.

_I'm so glad to see you're happy, Holly... _a tender whisper resounded in her mind.

Holly's back grew rigid, and she stopped in her tracks. Artemis, who was walking beside her, stopped and frowned.

"What's wrong, Holly -" he began, when Holly raised a hand to cut him off. She herself frowned, and she noticed that Artemis was beginning to worry.

"F-Father?" she tried tentatively, turning around to look for any sign.

"But Holly, it's so late at night, he couldn't possibly..." Artemis trailed off weakly when Holly let go of his hand and began to comb the surrounding area.

"Holly, _Holly!_" Artemis called out loudly behind her. "Your father's not in Tara, he's in China....!"

_I know that now you're happy, Holly. So don't be selfish...make me happy too..._

"Tell me...tell me where you are...!" Holly cried.

"Holly!" a worried Artemis clearly sounded anxious.

_Kill...kill him, Holly....he's a threat to our plans!_

"No!" she shouted, stumbling to the floor. The voice was making her dizzy, and the world around her dissolved rapidly into a kaleidoscope of colours. All she heard - all she could see - was her father. A blurry image of her unkempt father came into view. He was reaching out a hand towards her. She wanted so much to take it....to take it... her father was smiling, he couldn't mean any harm, could he?

"Holly!" a jarring voice cut through her shaky dream like a sharp knife, and Holly lost her father's image. The world spun back into its rightful position, and Holly turned her head to see Artemis running towards her, wanting to help her up, wanting to hold her in his arms and comfort her...

_No!! _the voice shrieked in her head. Holly was overwhelmed by giddiness again, and all that flashed before her eyes were swirls of colour painted by her upside-down world.

_Don't fight me, Holly! _the voice said angrily. _We must be strong....we will be strong...together!_

"You've....you've already destroyed Haven....what more do you want...?" she whimpered softly.

_It's not enough! _the voice resounded greedily in her head. _This world must be destroyed!! It has been too cruel to my existence....this world was the world that destroyed a perfect life like mine!_

"Stop...stop it, Father..." Holly moaned.

Holly could hear a vague, sketchy voice in the distance, but she was too far-off to comprehend what it was saying. Couldn't someone save her from this...?

_Holly...accept me, Holly....you are a good girl..._

"I'm a....I'm a good girl..." Holly repeated, feeling her willpower crumble.

_That's right, Holly. Remember what a good girl you used to be? Mother and I were so proud of you..._

"Proud of...proud of me..." Holly said again and smiled, a hint of insanity creeping into her voice.

_Yes....good girl, Holly...come with me...._

The voice was just so warm, so friendly, so affectionate...

__

Holly succumbed.

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

"Commander Root!" he yelled as he banged furiously on the door. "Commander Root, _damn it_, open the door!" You could just imagine just how much worry Artemis was in. He never said words like 'damn it'.

"I say!" Commander Root tittered as he yanked open the door without warning, almost causing Artemis to fall. "If a raving lunatic knocked on your door so furiously it sounds as if his knuckles were bashing against it, would you think twice before opening the door?! OBVIOUSLY!" he boomed.

"Stop ranting and listen, okay?!" Artemis yelled back, his hands ruffling his hair restlessly and fretfully.

"Okay, WHAT?!" Commander Root yelled. "You've come here to tell me you killed Holly?!"

"NO!" Artemis lost all patience.

"Well then, that must mean....you killed Trouble!"

"NO!" Artemis yelled. "Where's the _virtual map _Foaly gave you? _Have you been checking it?_" Artemis' voice was raised. He was severely agitated.

"Gee, try calming _down_, Artemis!" Commander Root exclaimed. "We only just got here a day and..."

"SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN CHECKING IT?" Artemis was beside himself.

"Well, _look here, _it's not _entirely _my fault, I just thought Holly's old man couldn't move that fast and -" Root tried to defend himself.

"Shut up and tell me where it is," Artemis had narrowed his eyes and had suddenly gone back to his icy composure. His frosty tone of voice carried an underlying, dangerous threat. His blue eyes sent chills down Root's spine. Artemis clearly unnerved him.

"Er....well...it's in my room..."

"Go and get it," Artemis said coolly, finally having calmed down. Or maybe he realised he had been making a fool of himself by screaming and shouting, allowing his emotions to get the better of him. "Go and get it," he repeated, "before I kill you with my bare hands."

"That's physically impossible, I'm stronger than you are..."

Artemis calmly flipped open his handphone. "Hmm....maybe I should call Butler..."

"All right, all right!" Root said, and went back into the room to get the virtual map Foaly had given him.

Artemis tapped his foot impatiently. Root came out of the shadowed depths of his room and emerged before Artemis, the map in hand.

Artemis snatched it from Root's hand and peered curiously at it. The red dot, which represented Holly's father, was still blinking away on the continent labelled "China".

"There, you see?" Root said pompously. "He's still there!"

Artemis narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the map some more, trying to find a fault with it. "Something's not right," he revealed.

"What?! Don't let Foaly hear you say that, it's his state-of-the-art technology..."

"No, I'm _sure _he's here. I'm _sure _he's in Tara!" Artemis muttered to himself, pressing around on the buttons that surrounded the glass screen of the map.

"Fowl, _what _is up with you?!" Root retorted.

"It looks like a stand-still picture to me...." Artemis continued to mutter.

"You're weird."

"Someone's been feeding the same image to us. It's a ploy..."

"MUD BOY! WHAT IS GOING ON OR CAN'T YOU HEAR ME?!" Root shouted.

"HOLLY'S LOSING CONTROL AGAIN!" Artemis shouted, finally revealing the truth.

"WHAT?"

"I SAID HOLLY'S LOSING CONTROL AGAIN! Stop testing my patience!" Artemis seethed. He hated it when people made him repeat himself again. It made them look stupid. Especially since he was so worried and edgy already, it made his patience run all the more thin.

"_SAY WHAT?" _Root repeated.

"I give up!" Artemis growled, stashing the virtual map in his pocket.

"DOES THAT MEAN HER FATHER'S IN THE VICINITY?!" Root roared.

Artemis turned slowly around, his blue eyes icy again. "Obviously. Now if you can just _move,_ we can go and save her," he said sarcastically.

"Don't use that tone of voice with me, young man!"

"Who do you think you are, my father?" Artemis said, amused.

"Grrrrrrrrrr!!!" Root growled, stalking after him and waking Butler and Trouble up.

"Come on, Trouble! We've got some fairy butt to save!" Root barked.

"Come on, Butler. We need to save Holly," Artemis said matter-of-factly.

"And how do you know her father's here, Fowl? Are you psychic?" Root spat. He watched as Artemis turned around and regarded him coolly.

"That image of China is fake, Commander. I don't know how someone managed to change the image of Tara to become China. That's what put us off guard. He's never been in China all along. He's been here," Artemis said quietly. "And I know he's here. He's taken over Holly again." 

Artemis looked at his feet. _I don't want her to regret what she's done, I don't want her to be hurt, I don't want to look in her hazel eyes and tell her something she doesn't want to hear.....I don't want her to hate herself, _Artemis thought, but as usual, kept his feelings to himself.

"So you were with her, then?!" Root said angrily. "And you couldn't _bloody _well save her?!"

"Yes, I was with her. No, I couldn't save her," Artemis replied inaudibly, ashamed of himself. He felt like such a failure: defeated, hopeless, deterred.

Suddenly something - or someone, for that matter - flung himself against him. He winced in pain as blows rained upon his face; cold, fast blows that came so quickly his own bodyguard had no time to protect him. Artemis staggered backwards, clutching a bleeding nose. Another blow came in the direction of his mouth and he felt his lip tear, his blood oozing out slowly in crimson droplets, like every drop of his strong, intelligent personality - the one that couldn't save Holly. Then his eye got punched and he shut them instinctively, bracing himself for another round, for another injury... He wouldn't fight back. This was his punishment.

"That's enough!" came Root's authoritative voice, which cut through the air like a scalpel. That someone did not listen - he seemed to be beyond listening. He drew back his fist and it came in contact with Artemis' face with a sickening punch. Artemis did not cry out, and remained passive. He deserved this for betraying Holly to her fate; he deserved this for letting her go, the only woman he ever loved...

"I said, stop it!" Root barked. It sounded like something Holly would say, only she wasn't here now. The very thought twisted Artemis' heart in pain, sending him in a fresh wave of self-hatred and regret. He felt someone pulling him back from his attacker, it must be Butler, and that attacker being pulled away from him too, his legs still hopelessly flailing towards Artemis, wanting so much to kill him. Artemis opened his eyes and realised that an angry Trouble had assaulted him, and he could hear Butler spitting his words out behind him.

"Damn Trouble, hurting you like that when we all know it wasn't your fault Holly lost control -"

"No, Butler," Artemis cut him off. "It's my fault. I admit. I thought I was powerless to save her, but in reality, I could have done something....instead I ran back here like a coward, wanting to blame someone else for Holly's trouble. I wanted to blame Commander Root for not checking the map...but it's my fault. I was with her, I should have protected her, I'm so disgusted with myself..." Artemis shook his head dejectedly, drops of blood splattering on the floor, a reminder of his cowardice.

"You should be!" cried a very emotionally-charged Trouble. "I don't know _why _you took Holly out in the first place, but _D'Arvit, _if you take her out, you _jolly well _be _responsible _for her! Now Holly doesn't know what she's doing, because she's come under control again! If she gets hurt..._if she gets hurt..._I'll bash your face harder than I did just now! I'll _bash it _in so hard you can't even see _straight!" _he cried brokenly. He sounded close to tears. Normally, Artemis would have scoffed at such unmanly behaviour, but all sarcastic remarks failed him as thoughts of Holly floated back into his mind. It was easy to understand why Trouble was so uptight. Because like him, Trouble felt an affection for Holly as well, so much that his common sense flew out of the window.

"What are we waiting for, then?" Root snapped. "We're wasting valuable time. We've got to get Holly back before it's too late!"

And with that, the party of four whisked out of the doors and into the night beyond.

~*~

****

(Still Artemis' point of view)

Artemis searched frantically around for a hazel-eyed, auburn-haired beauty. Butler trailed closely behind him, while Root and Trouble looked for Holly in another direction. They had promised to meet up after a certain time, at the cable car station.

"Holly!" Artemis shouted, jostling his way through the night crowd. Even though it had been an hour after his date with Holly, the night crowd was still enormous. Even at eight o'clock, Tara at night still held an attraction for them.

Not for long.

He heard a resounding 'crash' as a building fell, crushing civilians who were unfortunate enough to be standing under it. Suddenly everyone began to panic, and Artemis was engulfed in a wave of people that trampled anxiously to their own homes.

"Oh dear," Artemis muttered. Holly had already begun destruction. But where exactly was she? Artemis' forehead creased into a frown as he rushed towards the fallen building, looking for a sign of Holly.

"Holly?" he called out tentatively, knowing his effort was futile. In the noisy panic that surrounded him, how could he expect for a response from Holly. Especially since she wasn't herself...

He saw a figure rise up into the sky, blending with the inky black sky of the night, and he soon lost sight of it. Then he saw it zoom across to the opposite building, the round moon quickly illuminating the figure's features before it disappeared again. It looked suspiciously like Holly, but Artemis couldn't be sure. She was too high up in the sky.

"I HATE THIS WORLD!" a voice boomed out from on the top of the building, sounding a lot like Holly. Now Artemis was sure. Artemis thought he saw a ghost of a smile that flashed across her features before she dropped a bomb that blew up the building, ravenously engulfing it in flames. Shards of glass sailed through the air, coupled with broken metal that threatened to tear a passer-by apart with its jagged edges. Artemis brought up a hand to ward off the hot flying pieces, crying out in pain when sharp metal exploded in his face and grazed his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Butler sprinting towards him, trying to shield him from the flying pieces. Butler slammed Artemis down to the ground, using his body as a protection. Artemis' face met concrete and his nose began to bleed again, having not fully recovered from Trouble's previous attack. Artemis struggled to look up, to keep Holly in sight, and saw her soar into the sky again, her body pale against the moonlight, her hair flying wildly in the night breeze.

"Are you all right, Artemis?" Butler grunted worriedly. Artemis tried to be strong. "Y-Yes, of course, what could h-hurt me?" Artemis said arrogantly, trying to hide the tinge of weakness in his voice, but Butler was not put off by his strong facade. He began to curse himself for not protecting Artemis soon enough.

Artemis realised that he had a deep, red gash across his face that stretched from his forehead to his left cheek. His arms were an array of deep scratches and gashes. Although he hadn't died, thanks to Butler's saving stint, he saw the blood seeping through his shirt.

"It's - it's not your fault, B-Butler," Artemis said weakly, hating to see Butler tear himself apart from letting him get injured. He tried to stand up, and felt his knees buckle beneath him. The world seemed to be a mass of colour; Artemis' head spun as the lack of blood in his body took its toll on him. "I'm - I'm so damn useless," he berated himself. "Can't even - can't even save myself. How to - how to save Holly then?"

"Forget Holly!" Butler barked, bringing Artemis to a safe spot and checking his wounds. "We're going back home, Artemis. This trip is too dangerous for you."

"N-No," Artemis insisted. "M-must save....Holly..."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Butler spat.

"B-Butler!" Artemis said, his voice getting stronger as his desire to save Holly overtook the sensible part of him. "Who's the master....m-me or you?"

"You, of course," Butler said grudgingly.

"A--and....I say...I say that we s-save Holly."

"Artemis..."

"D-Don't argue. So now...wh...where did Holly go?"

"Artemis.....!"

_"Tell me where Holly went!"_ Artemis said fiercely, and promptly coughed for air. "Y-You...you must have seen her...s-so...tell me!"

"You're not okay, Artemis! Will you sort out your priorities for a minute?!" Butler said, exasperated.

_"Holly is my bloody priority, damn it!" _Artemis yelled to make himself clear, and tried to ignore the burning pain in his chest. He coughed before he went on.

"I-I'm sorry to be corny, Butler...but...but I'm telling you....I can't s-stand life...without her. So would you please...please tell me where she went...tell me where she went....b-before I s-sack you and die of intense agony...!" He coughed again.

Butler seemed reluctant to spill the beans. "She...she's gone to the cable car station."

"Bring me there...at once....Butler..."

"Artemis......"

"BUTLER!" Artemis coughed, giving Butler an icy stare that must rattled Butler's bones, because Butler picked Artemis up and carried him to the cable car station, mopping up his wounds on the way.

~*~

"Mud Boy! What happened to you!" Commander Root was already there, fixing Artemis with a worried gaze.

"Where's Holly?" were Artemis' first words.

"The people have stopped the cable car service, because she's threatening to throw off all the cable cars!"

"No....Holly..." Artemis squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again. "Let me go talk to her, Commander!"

"It's too dangerous and you're hurt, Fowl!"

"I don't _care, _okay?!"

"All right, all right..." Commander Root said apprehensively. "I'll put you into a cable car, and then start up the service again, but you better watch out because Holly will start throwing off cable cars. You sure you gonna be all right, Fowl? You look like hell."

"Butler's tried to cover up some wounds. So I will be okay, I guess." Artemis grimaced. "I deserve this. I caused Holly to be in this state."

"Well....Good luck then. Try to get onto the roof and calm her down. Here's a safety rope for you to latch onto something so you don't fall off. I will also do my best to keep you safe, using my magic, so don't worry. Crazy as the idea may be, it's the only way to get her down. Yet I could send Trouble if you like..."

"No," Artemis whispered determinedly. "I'll do it."

"But you're hurt..."

"Please...please don't start that again. I want to do this for Holly."

"All right, since you're so insanely stubborn about it ..." said Root uneasily, and transported him into a cable car.

The cable car whirred and Artemis sat inside gingerly, as he neared Holly. Holly clearly seemed agitated at the fact that the cable car service was being started up again.

"I said not to start it, didn't I?!" she yelled, and using a weapon, blasted a cable car apart. Then she used the weapon to cut away another cable car that suspended from the wire, and it crashed to the ground below.

Artemis closed his eyes, wondering how a girl like Holly could change so drastically. Just an hour before, they'd been sitting in the very same cable car, kissing, expressing their love for each other. Just the thought of that gave Artemis the determination he needed to spur on.

The cable car stopped, and Artemis jerked. He winced as the gash on his forehead began to bleed again. He had to be careful. He opened the cable car door, and tried his best to climb onto the roof of the cable car so that he would be on the same level with Holly. He attached the safety rope to a safe point in the cable car, before proceeding to climb. His arms were giving him a lot of pain, and he wished he had Butler with him here. But he would have to do this alone. At least Root was supporting him with his magic, keeping him safe. Artemis tried to rationalize things out to calm his nerves. _This serves as your punishment, _he thought. And he loved Holly. His wounds were the first step. Now this physical exercise was the ultimate test. 

He gripped on tightly to the roof of the cable car as the cable car began to shake dangerously. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down, feeling dizzy at such a height.

__

"Open your eyes, Holly, and look at me."

"I - I can't...it's so high up.."

"No....it's not. It's not. Don't think about it. If you look into my eyes, and only into my eyes, you won't see the ground below you."

"R-really?" Holly had said shakily.

"Trust me, Holly," he had whispered.

The flashback gave him enough strength to pull himself up so that his stomach now lay on the roof of the cable car. He saw Holly hovering above him, and gulped. He sat on the roof shakily.

"H-hello, Holly, it's me," he tried to sound as calm as possible, but this height was scaring him half to death.

Holly's head turned around to stare at him. "I'm....I'm not Holly," she said very matter-of-factly.

"Oh, yes you are. I can name you a thousand reasons why you're the lovely Captain Holly Short. Would you like me to tell you why?" Artemis' world dissolved around him as he kept Holly in his view, seeing only Holly, hearing only Holly. He loved his brain for that. He loved himself for being able to concentrate on one thing, making his confidence build up as he forgot how high up he was.

"Why should I care?" Holly scoffed. "I'm not Holly."

"Yes, you are. You are a very beautiful girl. The Holly Short I know was, and still is, very beautiful. I remember how I thought she was pretty in a dangerous sort of way. I suppose that's how I liked her really." He felt uncomfortable sharing his feelings like this, but he had to go on, for Holly. "She gave me a coin for a souvenir four years ago, and I still keep it. Why? Because I liked her. And I proved it to her, today, just an hour ago."

He could see something click in Holly's head. "Happy...are you happy....?" she murmured to herself, and then started clutching her head in agony. "No......no......stop it!"

"It's true, isn't it, Holly? You kissed me, and I asked you if you were happy about it."

"WHO. ARE. YOU." she demanded in a robotic voice, pointing a finger at him, her eyes void of emotion, staring blankly into his eyes. It hurt him to see how empty this girl was, when she used to be full of strength, life, and vitality.

"Why, I'm Artemis Fowl."

"Die, Artemis, die!" she shrieked in glee, and cackled dangerously. "I am not Holly Short...."

"You are Holly."

"I am not!" she grew angry now, and flew down to him. She began to throttle him, and Artemis choked for breath as her hands snaked around her neck and she began to strangle the life out of him. "You lie....lying is bad...." she said sadistically, her eyes glinting with insanity. Artemis felt as if his head was going to split open.

"Don't - don't do this, Holly," he choked, the cable car swaying dangerously.

"I AM NOT HOLLY I AM NOT HOLLY I AM NOT HOLLY!" she screamed repeatedly, strangling him more. "You must die. You must die."

"No.....! Holly....!!" he sputtered.

"DIE!"

".....I love you, Holly...!" Artemis said frantically, trying to strike a chord in Holly's heart, realising he had never said it.

"Die!!!"

"....I love you so much..." If he was going to die, at least he could take comfort in the fact that he had said it to her face at least once.

Suddenly something seemed to strike in her, and Artemis gasped for air as she let go of him. She began clutching her head again, as if he had said something to hurt her.

She was fighting her father, that much Artemis knew. What had triggered the reaction, Artemis wasn't sure. Maybe the open confession of his feelings. Whatever it was, Holly let out a terrifying scream that pierced the night, as if her heart was tearing up inside.

"Holly...?" Artemis tried tentatively, touching her on the arm.

"No! Let go of me!" Holly screamed, backing away from him as if she had been scorched. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm not Holly Short..." she said weakly, refusing to believe it.

"Oh, Holly..."

"NO!" Holly Short screamed, and with that, stood up on the cable car and jumped off, spreading her hands outright, as if she could fly. She plunged downwards, the breeze rippling her hair, and Artemis was so shocked he couldn't move. Then his brain kicked into action and he jumped after her, secure in the fact that the safety rope would hold him. Holly seemed to be out of his reach, falling faster than he was, and he made a desperate grab for her, but she seemed to be too fast for him. Holly was going to hit the ground if he didn't catch her, and if she did, Artemis would never forgive himself.

"Holly!!!" he yelled, as if shouting could somehow bring her back to him. He pushed forward and made a grab for her arms. Her arms slid out of his hands and he cursed, reaching out once more. The ground was coming up at an amazingly fast pace. Artemis' eyes flashed with furious determination as he threw out his arms to grab her by the waist. Just at that moment, the safety rope reached its limit and Artemis gasped as he felt the restraint of the safety rope pulling him away, further from Holly. His disbelieving eyes registered the fact that Holly's shoes had slipped out of his reach and fallen to the ground below!

The safety rope began to swing violently to the left, potential energy still bottled up in it. Artemis' heart stopped. He almost didn't dare to look, as if afraid he had missed the chance to save Holly. Yet, Artemis could almost cry with relief as he saw his hands making contact with Holly's waist, and her hair swinging back and forth in his face. Somehow, he hadn't missed, he had merely been scaring himself so much that he didn't realise it!

Holly screamed. "D'Arvit! I'm so high up!"

Artemis wanted to kiss her. "Holly!"

"What the hell am I doing so high up?!" she yelled. "And where are my shoes?"

"You're back!" Artemis cried excitedly, unable to suppress his feelings any longer. The safety rope slowly swung from left to right, as if they were on a swing, as if they were hanging onto a pendulum. The wind whipped through their hair, and Artemis thought that Holly looked so beautiful with her body bathed in moonlight and her hair flying out behind her.

"What do you mean, _I'm back?_" Holly said incredulously, turning her face to look at Artemis, her hazel eyes questioning. "And what are _you _doing here?" she asked curiously, to which Artemis made no reply. Her eyes widened at the sight of the deep gash on his forehead, and she lifted a finger to run it lightly over the bleeding gash, and Artemis felt a tingle run down his spine, even though his gash was screaming in pain. His blood stained her finger when she pulled it away, and she stared at it, aghast.

"What happened to you?" she said softly, her eyes downcast, as if she knew the answer.

"It's a long story," Artemis said simply, feeling the wind blow against his back as the safety rope continued to swing back and forth, using up its potential energy.

"Looks cool though," Holly said, chuckling, trying to lighten the mood, and Artemis laughed. His arms tightened around her, reassuring her that he wouldn't let her fall again.

"So aren't you going to tell me what happened?" Holly asked mischievously. Artemis smiled gently at her, and brought his face to hers. "Maybe later," he said softly, as he leaned in to kiss her.


	11. Forbidden

****

Author's Note: _I know I promised a new chapter two days ago! I'm so sorry, but I felt like I had to get Artemis' character right in this chapter, because I've read my last two chapters and I realise he's probably going a bit out of character. Things are also probably a bit boring in this chapter because it's a build-up to the next chapter which is going to....well I'm not going to tell you, of course!_

By the way, I received an interesting question from *Gillya*, who asked when I was going back to 2013. Well, let's see...if I'm going to have a 27-chaptered story, when do you think I'll go back to the present? :) I really don't want to spoil anything, so I'm not going to say which chapter will be the last chapter for Holly's flashback. I know some people are getting impatient to find out why Holly married Trouble (I think Rhapsody's one of them) but all I can say is, you don't have to wait much longer.

Special thanks to Blue Yeti for very constructive criticism and making me realise that trees don't grow underground, nor can you see the sky. :) Sorry for spoiling Eoin Colfer's setting, I'll keep that in mind next time.

Meanwhile, thank you for reviewing! flamaria13 really knows how to pester me into getting a new chapter out :) Also thanks to Eleida, animefanatic07 and Sakura/Jayde (say, are you the same person?) who have been very supportive.

****

-The End of a very long A/N :) -

__

Chapter Eleven: Forbidden

****

(Holly's point of view)

Feeling Artemis' lips on hers for a second time, Holly dissolved into bliss like she had before. Her eyes fluttered shut as she relished in tasting forbidden fruit for the second time. Holly felt herself swinging slightly on the rope with Artemis, and her head began to feel strangely light, like it had been the first time. 

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, rational thought suddenly fought for space in her brain and she screamed in her head, _This is wrong!_

Holly was surprised at the sudden change in emotion. Reluctantly, she pulled away as the duo touched ground, feeling her cheeks turn crimson. Her legs dangled helplessly in the air as Artemis regarded her with expressionless blue eyes that held just a small tinge of bewilderment. He had always been good in covering up his emotions that way, which led Holly to question the words she had heard Artemis spoke that broke through her murderous reverie - those three words that frequently sent men into convulsions or waves of disgust; the almost saintly words of 'I love you'.

Holly found herself questioning: did Artemis mean them? Had he merely been saying those words just to save himself, to reach out to her, to distract her so that she would not kill him? If only he knew how confusing all this was, and Holly wasn't even sure if she liked him that much yet. Somehow, the idea of having a relationship with a human was rather appalling, and not many had gone down the same road as she. It was wrong, very wrong, very very wrong....... and Holly wasn't sure if she would like to be the first to tarnish the reputation of a fairy. It was strange how she hadn't questioned all this the first time they kissed, but that was maybe because it was her first, and subconsciously, she hadn't wanted to spoil anything. In addition, would Artemis love such a schizophrenic girl?

__

"Stop that!" Holly almost snapped, angry with him for turning her world upside down; angry with herself for giving in.

"...What?" Artemis frowned, but only slightly, his blue eyes filled with bewilderment.

"Never....never mind," Holly grumbled, looking away from the deep blue of Artemis' eyes.

_You are crazy to even think of liking Artemis. It's so impossible, and you know it! _she berated herself.

_But impossibility never felt so good, _anagging voice awoke at the back of her brain and tempted her, her heart aching just for another show of emotion. _You didn't complain the first time. What's wrong now?_

You're right. I did like it the first time. That's the whole problem! If I don't control myself now, this whole thing with Artemis is going to get out of hand, Holly chided her sub-conscience. _This is as far as it gets, Holly, stop deluding yourself because you know it will never work out. How do you know he really loves you anyway? Why didn't he say it beforehand?_

Because Artemis has his pride! her sub-conscience argued back. _Just like you wouldn't say it back to him because you're afraid of losing a very important part of yourself, and that's your heart!_

Shut up! Holly screamed in her head, longing to switch off her sub-conscience like you would switch off a radio. Her sub-conscience could really drive her crazy sometimes, if her father hadn't already.

"Holly...is there anything wrong?" Artemis inquired.

"NO!" Holly shouted, a bit too quickly and loudly."I mean, no," Holly said, trying to keep her raging emotions under control. She longed to kick Artemis out of her life. Then she longed to embrace him all night long.

"But you --" Artemis began, but trailed off when Holly fixed him with a steely glare. _You are driving me crazy, _Holly thought brokenly.

"Come on," Holly ignored his statement and took his hand, unsnapping the safety rope. "Let's get that nasty cut treated." She placed a hand on his brow and said softly, "Heal." Blue sparks flew merrily from her fingers and sealed his cut up. But Holly did not just feel blue sparks. She felt sparks everywhere, rushing along her body, tickling her spine, making her dizzy.

"That's enough," Holly said loudly, unsure if she was trying to shut her emotions up or telling Artemis that his cut was healed.

"Who are you talking to?" Artemis asked, and Holly could see him trying not to chuckle. His blue eyes were bemused and alarmed, all at the same time. Holly wished she didn't have to keep falling to the temptation of looking into those blue eyes that seemed to have grown hands which kept a firm grip on her heart.

"I think our Captain Short here has gone mildly schizophrenic," Artemis remarked, smiling amusedly. They both knew it was an understatement. When Holly was under her father's control, she wasn't just 'mildly' schizophrenic anymore. The very fact made Holly's heart tear up a bit more, because she knew Artemis couldn't like such a person.

"If you would stop commenting on my battered nervous system and tell me what the D'Arvit happened, maybe I won't slap you after all," Holly shot back, trying valiantly to stay angry with him.

Artemis grinned, before pulling her to him, and her defences crumbled. "If you won't tell me why you practically recoiled in horror after our brief kiss just now, then I'll have to do it again to find out why."

Holly could feel the blood pounding away loudly in her ears. She was so close...so close....she could give in, it would be like their first kiss, and both of them would be happy. She was happy being with Artemis, she was happy to be in love with him....but there was so much at risk...

She felt Artemis' lips grazing hers before she yanked away, guilt tormenting her heart.

Artemis' eyes clouded with confusion again. "Stop playing around, Holly, what's wrong? Do I disgust you?"

Holly began to walk away, her legs shaking like jelly. She refused to look at him, and chose to ignore him.

"Holly!" Artemis called out behind her. "This is not the way you reacted an hour ago. You told me....you told me you were happy."

"A lot of things can change in an hour, Artemis," Holly replied scathingly, her heart tearing itself to pieces.

Artemis spun her around, a desperate look in his eye. "Sometimes I really don't understand you, Holly."

"Then don't!" Holly retorted, whirling back and continuing to walk. She felt Artemis grab her arm from behind.

"I came this far, Holly, because I believed what you said. I thought we could have something together, but...are you telling me now that whatever you said were complete lies?" Artemis said angrily.

"No!" Holly replied, wishing Artemis would just let go.

"Then what, Holly....? One minute you act like you love me, and another minute you can't wait to get away from me."

"Who said I loved you?" Holly exclaimed, feeling tears springing to her eyes, although she wasn't sure why.

Artemis dropped her arm and stared at her. "You don't?" he said dumbly.

"That's your own petty _assumption_, not mine," Holly retorted, biting her lip to keep from crying. This was the way it had to be.

"I don't believe you," Artemis said quietly, frowning.

"Whatever," Holly said, turning away from him.

"That's not even a proper explanation, Holly!" Artemis said angrily, spinning her around again. "Why won't you let yourself love me?"

"Because I don't even know who I _am_ anymore!" Holly shouted, her bottled-up feelings spilling over. "One minute I'm....I'm perfectly fine, and then the next I find myself blowing half the world up....! And hurting everyone....hurting you! I don't want that to happen! I'm dangerous, I'm crazy, I'm not even Holly Short anymore...!" Holly choked, tears slipping out of her eyes.

"Holly, I didn't say you were the one who caused all this --" Artemis tried to comfort her but she cut him off.

"Oh, bull! Do you think I was born yesterday?! It's not hard to figure out who's the one doing a widespread massacre if I'm the only one who can hardly remember anything about it, just fragments of memories all cluttered together!"

Artemis slipped an arm around the shaking Holly, who pushed it away.

"Just....just go and find somebody else," Holly said, feeling defeated.

"Holly. When you heard me say those words up there, I meant it. And once I do a declaration of love, I never take it back," Artemis said incredulously.

"When did you grow to become such a mushy _wimp_," Holly retorted, relentless in her drive to chase Artemis away. She would have to do this so that both of them would carry on with a life of normalcy.

"Wimp?" Artemis said softly. Holly could hear the hurt in his voice. "I shelved my pride to say those words and that's all you can say about them?"

Holly looked into his eyes with furious tears in her own. "What do you want me to say then, huh?" she challenged.

"That you love me! That you're going to be so happy," Artemis retorted.

"That is the _stupidest_ thing I've ever heard," Holly said, pushing him away. "Don't you realise that this...this _thing _called _love _between us cannot be possible? Let me remind you that we're barely even of the same _species!_ Things will never be the same again!"  
"So? Being of different species does not alter our personalities! And I had no idea you placed so much emphasis on what people thought about you!" Artemis said furiously, letting go of her.

"Well, some people don't have your arrogant self-confidence! I got this far in the LEP because I _worked _hard for it, and I'm not going to let petty gossip or prejudices get in the way!" Holly retorted.

"You know what? You're right," Artemis said coldly, icy emotions evident in his eyes. "Don't let me disturb your _pathetically perfect _and _successful _life then," he spat derisively, standing up and walking away, his back towards hers.

"I'm glad you're going away!" she screamed after him, more tears falling freely down her face now that her mission was complete. This way, they could both go on with perfectly normal lives, without tongues wagging. Yet, in all her years of training, nothing had ever been harder than untangling the complicated matters of the heart.

Holly gathered her thin legs against her chest protectively and closed her eyes, allowing the silent tension of the night to diffuse into her, the punishing spirit of her heart whipping her furiously for letting Artemis go. As she replayed the scene in the compact movie theatre of her mind, she wept bitterly as the world she now lived in threatened to consume her. The foolish act on her part caused her life to be shrouded in interminable darkness as the light, which would have helped to chase the darkness away, turned on her and walked out of her life.

_Holly....Holly....why are you crying? _a voice piped up.

"Leave me alone, Father, haven't you done enough damage?" Holly sobbed.

_Let me help you...let me help you..._

"I hate you! I'm never going to listen to you again! You caused so much _misery_ in so many people's lives! _Show_ yourself, don't be a _coward_! Show your daughter what a _unscrupulous_ piece of _vermin_ you've become!" Holly challenged furiously, tears blinding her vision.

A shimmering aura surrounded Holly, and her eyes widened to take in the sight.

_You want to see me, Holly? Come...come with me...._

"No!" Holly exclaimed, trying to run out of the shimmering aura, which now formed a barricade around her. She used her hands to push against it and promptly felt her hands getting an electric shock, the jolting pain of electricity shooting throughout her entire system before her whole body was thrown backwards and flung back into the iridescent prison, which was now a beautiful colour of gold. Ironically, it did nothing to warn others what a jail it really was.

_Hahahahahaha! I've got you now! _

An evil laugh rang incessantly in Holly's ears and Holly moaned as she collapsed to the ground, the laugh echoing eerily in her brain.

"Leave me alone...leave me alone..." Holly groaned, feeling a darkness overwhelm her, and her eyes shifting in and out of focus as she valiantly tried to register the sights before her. She had to fight. She had to fight, like Artemis said. Why she was thinking of Artemis again, Holly didn't know. It was getting stiflingly hot, and Holly felt choked.

_Be a good daughter, Holly....understand the rules of filial piety....come with me, Holly, don't fight me now...._

"Father....oh Father..." Holly babbled, not even aware of what she was saying. She could feel her hands trembling violently as they tried to keep a hold on the ground below her, trying to get a hold on reality. Her head felt like it would burst open, as if it were being cooked in a pressure cooker as her father slowly waited for her brain to explode. 

_I'm not giving up, Holly...! We're so close now, we can take over the world!_

"Do it...do it yourself....!" Holly shrieked, feeling her father breaking the walls of defence around her. Her will was crumbling to his, and her eyes felt like rolling marbles in a sea of colours that rocked violently around her. _Why wasn't the sea stopping?_ Holly thought for a while before realising that it wasn't the sea, but her confused eyes that took in the sight of the ground lurching up and down, sending her stomach churning in nausea as she fought to stay in control of her own mind. There were so many colours, not in their right place. The world seemed to be spinning too fast as Holly felt dizzy again.

_I'm bringing you with me, Holly, and no one will find us! I'm bringing you away from here! No one will stop us anymore! We will be invincible! Hahahaha! The LEP will no longer be in charge of the fairy world, but me! Me and only **me**! And soon....the Mud People will be ours!_

"Father...Father....you are crazy..." Holly shrieked, feeling her body and spirit succumbing to her father's will. "Wh-when did you b-become s-so fanatical?" she stammered as she fought to stay in control. The colours of the world threatened to consume her again, and Holly gulped.

"Leave the Mud People alone," Holly whispered. "Leave them alone...leave them alone..." she whispered again.

_Mud People....Artemis..._she thought, jumbled thoughts clashing against each other in her brain.

_This world will be ours! _Holly's father was relentless in his ambitions. _This world will revere me! Follow me, Holly!_

"I have to...have to...g-get out..." Holly said, her head spinning as she pushed against the golden wall and yelled in pain when electricity jolted her senses and threw her back.

_No, Holly! We are one! Forever...! Hahahaha!_

"One...forever..." Holly said weakly, shutting her eyes and letting an image of her father float before her. "One...forever..."

_That's right...don't fight me now, Holly..._

"Oh, Father..." Holly whispered, collapsing to the ground, her cheeks feeling the grittiness of the soil that made up Tara's ground.

_Come on, Holly..._ her father's voice tempted.

It would be so easy to give in...

"I'm coming...I'm coming, Father..." Holly whispered, her grip on reality loosening as she stopped fighting against her father's control.

_That's right....that's right... _the greedy voice sang like pleasing music to her ears.

"Artemis," Holly babbled nonsensically, having absolutely no control over her memories or emotions anymore, as her consciousness began to jump back and forth in confusion while her father overpowered her. "Artemis....I'm so sorry, Artemis..." she whispered, as if he could hear her. "Save me, Artemis, save me."

_What are you talking about, girl? Come here already!_

"Yes, Father, yes, Father," she murmured, and her shaking body went still. A gust of wind blew over her before she stood up in the golden cell moments later, an outlandishly wicked smile lighting up her face.

"What are we going to do today?" Holly said robotically, as the golden cell formed a dome above her head and whisked her off into the night air.

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

Artemis had had some pretty bad nights in which he couldn't sleep, but this had to be the worst. He had never been so insulted in his life before, and obviously, that was what was keeping him up. He relived the scene again, and the fact that he had saved Holly from further destruction and her own downfall only heightened the agony that he had experienced when she handed him rejection.

_Doesn't she understand that I was serious? _Artemis thought, frowning, trying to understand why Holly had been so willing to kiss him once, and then furiously chided him the next.

_If one person needs to check her emotions, it's her, not me, _he thought angrily, resisting the temptation to pound his pillows like an immature child. He had given a piece of his heart away to her when he said that he loved her, and what had she done with it? Ruthlessly crushed it under her petite foot and flung it back to him, still bleeding. How cruel could Holly get? Then again, he had made his confession when she seemed to be half-herself, so how much could she have trusted what he said?

_You're supposed to be supporting me, not Holly, _he thought bitterly as he answered his sub-conscience.

And Artemis almost hated himself for letting her do that to him. He should have known that people aside from himself and the Fowl family were not to be trusted, and even then, how much did Butler know about his deepest, darkest secrets? He was his own best friend, and although it got lonely at times, at least he could protect himself from getting hurt. Then when he felt the urge to make friends, he just _had_ to trust the one person who would most definitely take his heart, rip it out still alive and beating, stab it callously with a knife and throw it across a hundred football fields before handing it back to him. How could people expect him to love unconditionally now, when the one girl he had given his heart to threw it back in his face all bruised and battered?

Artemis realised that Holly had all along been making a fool out of him, and it made him feel more foolish than ever. Not only had he been reduced to an idiot who climbed gondolas to save the love of his life, but he had _stupidly_ shelved his own pride - the only thing that would have saved him from being hurt - and proclaimed his love for Holly like a mushy, blabbering idiot on the verge of death. That's what she had called him. Mushy! 

In addition, Artemis almost cringed when he thought of what he had told Butler about not being able to live without Holly and how he had emerged like a raving lunatic in front of Root, unable to keep his emotions in check because of Holly. He had even let Trouble punch him! How many people could take that lying down?

Artemis really felt the need to punch the living daylights out of a certain girl for fooling him in so many ways - so much so that he had lost his own identity. It seemed like it wasn't Holly who had a case of not knowing who she really was, but him too. After experiencing what he would call a disastrous affair of love, he had completely lost his head.

_I'm never going to speak to her again, _Artemis thought, his broken heart throbbing in agreement. _It's an utterly childish act but if Holly wants to be childish, so can I. I'm so angry with her I can scarcely keep from killing her._

I can never trust another person again.

~*~

"Fowl boy! Open up the _D'Arvitin'_ door!" Root yelled outside his door.

"Go away," Artemis moaned, trying to get whatever little sleep he rightfully deserved after some painstaking musings about Holly. He had not fully recovered, and was not ready to face the world. Was this really the Mud Boy who knew how to stay calm in the face of adversity? Not anymore.

"What's up with you?" Root continued to yell relentlessly. "Did you take drugs or something? You sound like you're stoned."

"Now I wonder how you knew that word. Let's see - Root grew a brain! Now that amazes me," Artemis shouted back sarcastically as he got out of bed, sunlight hitting him in the eyes. He looked into the mirror.

"Hello Mr. I'm-Too-Cool-To-Let-Anything-Faze-Me," Artemis greeted his reflection, a hideous sight of eye-bags today. "You're not so calm anymore, Artemis," Artemis told his reflection disgustedly, sighing. Running a hand through his hair, he yanked the door open to come face-to-face with a fuming Root.

"Do you drink alcohol every morning or is your face always that red?" Artemis greeted Root.

"Since I need your help I'll let that little jeer towards my ego slide," Root retorted.

"Root, asking me for help? Must be desperate."

"Fowl, I'm warning you," Root said threateningly. "Unless you improve your D'Arvitin' attitude you're not going to get anywhere."

"Tut tut, watch the language, Commander, I'm just a seventeen-year-old kid."

"If you would listen to me without any comments, then maybe I won't lose my patience and fling you out of the nearest window," Root spat.

"Sorry, just not in a very good mood," Artemis replied.

"Aren't you always," Root sneered.

"What do you need me to help you with?" Artemis asked, ignoring the comment.

"Yeah. Just one thing. You seen Holly anywhere?" Root asked.

The question hit Artemis like a block of stone, and his features hardened upon hearing them. Wrinkling his face into a menacing scowl, his eyes registered a mix of emotion before he replied coldly, "What's wrong with her now, has she got herself killed? I should be delighted to hear so."

"Now, now, where's the love and concern for your friends?" Root said sarcastically. "Just a day ago you were screaming _my _door down to help Holly."

"Shut up," Artemis said icily, a full-blown temper seeming imminent, ironical as it may be.

"Where are your manners, Fowl? I was just asking you if you knew where she was," Root said.

"Well, I don't know where she is, and I don't care," Artemis replied, narrowing his eyes. It was just like Root to rekindle his anger for Holly. "She's probably off in Trouble's room sobbing her heart out," he said scathingly, as jealousy towards Trouble bubbled merrily in his heart, adding another ingredient to the already boiling cauldron of Artemis' heart.

"Well, what do you know, maybe she is, I've seen the two together, quite a good match, eh?" Root grinned.

Artemis longed to knock that grin off Root's face, as his blue eyes became freezing counterparts of ice. If only Root knew.

"Actually, I find Holly and Trouble make an exceedingly _boring_ couple," Artemis replied, his simmering rage heightening just a little as he thought of the two together. "I hope they never grow old together. Their friends would be bored to death watching a marriage with no sparks."

"No sparks?! Geez, you must be crazy! Trouble and Holly have got the recipe for fireworks!" Root said.

"You don't know anything then," Artemis said through gritted teeth, his temper barely within his control.

"Like you're an expert on love yourself," Root replied.

That petty remark was almost enough to send Artemis over the edge. He balled his hands into fists, ready to beat the living daylights out of Commander Root, as if he could. But his anger made him feel like trying anyway. Just as his anger reached its peak, Root dropped the bombshell.

"But the problem is, she's not in Trouble's room," Root mused. "In fact, she's not in the hotel at all."

"She's not?" Artemis questioned, a hint of concern in his voice. But just a hint.

Root fixed Artemis with a serious glare. "Holly..." he hesitated. "Holly didn't come back last night."

The news came crashing down on Artemis like a meteor. "What?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"I've been asking the receptionist....but she said she only saw you storming in, but not Holly," Root explained. "And she was on duty all night."

_Holly's left. She doesn't want you anymore. You have no chance to make it up to her, _Artemis thought to himself, numb with shock.

_What do you mean, make it up with her?! Just last night you were all out to ignore her!_

Yet, all Artemis thought about was, _Holly's gone._

"Holly's gone," he said, repeating his thoughts. "She's gone."

"Yeah, I know, D'Arvit!" Root yelled. "You're acting like a dumb fool again."

"Where can we find her, damn it!" Artemis shouted, shaking Root. "Get a laptop. I'm going to contact Foaly!"

"Calm down, Fowl!" Root yelled. "We don't even have a device attached to Holly to track her movements!"

"Do you want to get Holly back or not?!"

"Of course I do, but you're being very irrational --"

"Then get a laptop before I smack you on the head with it!"

As Artemis watched Root's retreating back, he closed his eyes and made a silent wish.

_Please come back, Holly. I hate sounding weak, but I need you. Let's resolve our differences. At least, at least come back to give a decent explanation so I can stop loving you._

Please.

****

2nd Author's Note: _I know you must absolutely hate me now for putting these annoying author's notes everywhere, but just wanted to let you know that now that I'm back on a roll, the next chapter will probably be out on Monday. Or maybe even tomorrow! :)_


	12. An End to Persistent Madness

__

Chapter 12: An End to Persistent Madness

(Thanks to Blue Yeti for pointing out that Holly's sensitive to sunlight)

****

(Holly's point of view)

Holly felt her body shudder as she regained control of her own mind, and found herself in the middle of a desert. The golden shield around her disappeared, and she figured that she must be aboveground. As she looked up, the blinding sunlight forced her to shield her eyes from the brightness. As if on cue, she felt the searing tendrils of heat ensnare her skin, eating away at it like a ravenous acid. She hated herself for being sensitive to sunlight. It was pure..._pure_ torture.

"Father...what are you doing to me!" Holly said weakly, pain overwhelming her senses, the redness of her skin further serving to remind her of how mind-numbingly painful it was.

_Enjoying your stay in the Sahara Desert, Holly? _her father cackled, the voice overtaking her consciousness.

Holly's hazel eyes burned with a vengeance. "I h-hate you. I _hate_ you! Wh....where...where are you?!"

_Somewhere. Think you have the ability to find me?_

Holly watched as her skin turned a hideous shade of burgundy and yellow. Any moment now, it would split open, giving way to the layers of muscle underneath, blood throbbing through it in a merry stream, before it seeped through the skin like it couldn't be happier there. Holly gulped as her imagination ran wildly, causing her eyes to see through her skin like an X-ray.

"Coward!" Holly whispered savagely. "C-coward, coward, c-coward!" She muttered those words repeatedly as she crawled over to a cactus. A man on a camel headed towards her, and rubbed his eyes disbelievingly, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. But after all, Holly was a fairy who was unshielded. He jabbered excitedly in Arabic before a blast of white light came out of nowhere and shot him down, dead.

Holly saw where the direction of white light had come from. It had come from the north-west. She crawled towards that direction, and as her skin began to scream in agony, she started to wish she was back Underground, tucked up in her bed, safe in her home. Too late for wishes, though. And she was alone. Sand was being a nasty intrusion on her burning skin, but what more could you expect from a desert?

_You are going to betray me, aren't you, Holly? I knew that a long time ago._

"Betray...betray you for what?" Holly said through gritted teeth.

_Don't act dumb, Holly. I knew it from the start. You think I haven't been watching you? You and your repulsive circle of friends. That red-faced pug of a guy you call Root. Then there's Trouble, who's as manly as a hibiscus flower. And let's not forget Butler, whom I wouldn't have insulted except that he follows that gay boy everywhere....which in case you haven't figured out, is Artemis. Have I passed fair judgment on your friends, Holly?_

"You piece of _filth! _I don't even care if we're father and daughter anymore! I would rather gouge my eyes out with chopsticks before I acknowledge _you _as my father!"

_Tsk tsk, Holly. Such heartbreaking words. I must let you know, I don't tolerate hypocrites. I know you are going to give me up to the LEP the moment you catch me. Do you really think I'm so stupid to give up my dream of world domination and play right into your hands? No. So, you shall die. Hahaha! What's one death to me if I have killed so many thousands?_

"You're insane," Holly choked out the words as a scorching pain shot through her, and she saw the gentle cover of her skin tear slightly, blood rushing to take its place. The sun beat down on her mercilessly, and if Holly wasn't going to die of dehydration, she would live without her skin. Holly shuddered, and decided she preferred the first option. At least she could die in dignity.

_Where are your friends now, Holly? Where are they?! They seem to have abandoned you! Hahaha! Such very disappointing 'friends' you have!_

"Shut up!" Holly screamed, as she tried to use her magic to heal her wound. But her magic wasn't being cooperative, and Holly felt too tired and overheated to try harder. Her magic seemed to work only when it was cooler. _Looks like I'm going to die like a sunburnt prune after all, _Holly thought sadly. _And with no last words either._

I like watching people suffer, Holly. It gives me a sort of...silent, domineering power over them. So I'm going to watch you die, Holly....I'm going to have fun watching you die!

Holly curled up into a ball, her skin burning raw. She felt hopelessly helpless. Her skin began to feel so taut that Holly was afraid that if someone were to just lightly touch her, her skin would explode in a million pieces. The pain was excruciating and unbearable. As Holly waited for her death, she began to wish she had done better things in her life. As recent events played out in her mind, regrets were aplenty. 

She heard a voice awaken in her mind. 

_Artemis' eyes clouded with confusion again. "Stop playing around, Holly, what's wrong? Do I disgust you?"_

Holly felt ashamed of herself, and she cradled her head in her lap as the fight with Artemis floated back into her mind.

__

"I came this far, Holly, because I believed what you said. I thought we could have something together, but...are you telling me now that whatever you said were complete lies?" Artemis said angrily.

"No...no," Holly replied, her mind berating herself for straining her relationship with Artemis to the limit.

_"That is the_ stupidest _thing I've ever heard," Holly said, pushing him away. "Don't you realise that this...this_ thing_ called_ love_ between us cannot be possible? Let me remind you that we're barely even of the same_ species! _Things will never be the same again!"_

_"So? Being of different species does not alter our personalities! And I had no idea you placed so much emphasis on what people thought about you!" Artemis said furiously, letting go of her._

"No, it doesn't alter our personalities. It doesn't," Holly replied, agreeing, wishing she had said the right things. Yet all she heard now were icy voices in her head. All she heard were Artemis' words of shattered pride.

_"You know what? You're right," Artemis said coldly, icy emotions evident in his eyes. "Don't let me disturb your_ pathetically perfect_ and_ successful_ life then," he spat derisively, standing up and walking away, his back towards hers._

If she could take her words back, she would've. She could've before, but she didn't. She should've before, but she didn't. All she was left with now were the tormented spirits of her heart, chiding her for not cherishing that certain chance with Artemis. All she was left with now were the ghosts of her memories, haunting her, punishing her for being so foolish.

_Why aren't you dying yet, Holly? _her father asked evilly. _Do you want me to speed up your death?_

"Feel free to do so," Holly said bitterly. "I have nothing more to live for."

_Oh, come on, this is not the strong Holly I knew! Look what love has done to you._

"Shut up!" Holly screamed.

_No one tells **me **to shut up and gets away with it! _her father's voice reverberated in her head. As if on target, the ground beneath Holly began to shake violently, throwing Holly off balance.

"Wh-what's going on?" Holly asked, confused emotions reigning over her heart.

_I'm tired of waiting for you to die, Holly, so I'm going to play a little game, _her father whispered dangerously in her head.

The ground groaned as a deep crack in it appeared, giving way to a large crevice which began to swallow the earth around it, turning it into nothingness. Holly's body shook violently as she tried valiantly to stay on ground. Suddenly, she wanted to live more than anything. She wanted to clutch at the thin strand of hope that lay before her, before it was blown away by her father's insanity. 

"Help!" Holly screamed, swallowing her pride for once and relying on others for help. As if there was anyone in the biggest desert of the world. A cold hand of fear gripped Holly's heart tightly as she gulped and began to feel resigned to her untimely fate. Rising particles of sand whipped her face cruelly as the ground beneath her tore apart like a torn newspaper.

Suddenly, a whirring sound resounded behind her. Holly's head whipped around, and her eyes barely registered a jeep before the incessant quaking of the ground caused her to lose her balance and collapse into the deep crack of the earth. Beneath her, she heard the low rumble of volcanic activity as her legs dangled vulnerably in the hot air of the ground below. Instinctively, she reached out and hurriedly grabbed the surface of the desert before she could plunge into the fiery depths below. Her hands clutched feebly at the surface of the desert, but the slipping sand wasn't making things any easier. Her voice cracked as she shouted a plea for help once more, and the skidding sound of people moving gave her another splinter of hope, and she held on to it greedily, hopeful that someone might save her.

"Holly!" a man wearing sunglasses thrust out a hand to her, and gratefully, she latched onto it like a leech on a leg. For a moment, the jerking action caused his sunglasses to fall off his face, and the man watched as it fell into the depths below without a breaking sound. Looking up into the majestic blue of the man's eyes, Holly allowed an involuntary shiver to run down her spine before she concentrated on keeping herself alive.

"Damn! And those were Armani!" Artemis cried.

"Excuse me? And I'm worth less than a pair of branded sunglasses?!" Holly retorted incredulously.

At her reply, the slight warmth that flickered merrily in Artemis' cold eyes gave Holly a sense of relief and comfort before the blue eyes she loved so much hardened like steel again. "You're hardly worth anything to me, Captain Short," he said scathingly, yet ironically keeping a firm grip on her hand.

_Ouch, _Holly cringed inwardly. So he was still smarting from the blow of rejection she had given him. She supposed she could understand that, even though she was aching to apologize. Yet, her pride got in the way again as she yelled at him instead, "Aren't you going to pull me up, jerk?"

"And I thought fairies could fly," Artemis said icily, struggling to pull her up as the ground relentlessly continued to shake.

"Well, throw away your little fairy tales and bedtime stories because that's not how it works in the real world," Holly spat back.

Artemis had almost pulled her up when the ground gave a violent lurch, sending Holly spiralling back into the crevice. Luckily, Artemis' reflexes were extremely quick and his hand shot out to save her.

"Why can't you be lighter, Holly?" Artemis grunted.

Fuming, Holly replied, "You need to build up your muscles because they're definitely not working!"

"At that remark, I'm almost tempted to drop you."

As the ground shook threateningly again, Holly dropped her strong facade and screamed, "Don't let go!"

To which Artemis replied seriously, "I won't." A flicker of warmth was reminiscent in his icy blue eyes before it died out again, and Holly wondered if she would ever get the chance to reconcile with Artemis.

_You wish! _Holly thought. Just at that moment, the ground gave a final, aggressive, massive quiver, and Holly's hand slipped out of Artemis' reach. Holly's shriek pierced the air of the desert as shocking blue eyes shot up in alarm, watching the girl he loved fall victim to the raging hellhole below.

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

Artemis felt a blow to the back of his head as he turned around and saw Trouble coming at him.

"You son of a -" Trouble's words were cut off as he hit Artemis another time. "Why did you let go?!"

"Stop it Trouble! We need to save Holly before it's too late. Instead of fighting among ourselves let's be civilised and kill the common enemy - Holly's father!" Root shouted.

"I should have known not to trust you!" Trouble shrieked, beyond control. "_Stinking_ Mud Boy, now Holly's dead, because your _stupid _clammy hands couldn't find it in their power to hold on! HOLLY WAS DEPENDING ON YOU!"

"Stop it, Trouble!" Root repeated wildly. "It's not Fowl's fault! Stop wasting time. There may be a chance Holly's still alive!"

Trouble turned wildly towards Root, a glint of desperation in his eyes. "A chance? A CHANCE? And how _big _is that chance, huh, Commander? 0.9%?!"

Butler stepped in between Trouble and Root before things could get any uglier. "Trouble, the Commander's right. We need to get to Holly!"

Root checked his map, the one Foaly had sent to them via laptop. By feeding Holly's records to the computer database, this map could track down Holly's exact temperature and heartbeat, which was how they could track Holly. His map said that Holly was still alive, but barely.

"Come on, come on, let's equip ourselves and get down there. Trouble, get the safety rope, we need to latch to aboveground and abseil down the crack. Wear your fireproof suits so we don't get burnt by the heat emitting from the Earth's centre. You're used to this, Trouble, it's like LEP raids Underground. Go, go, go!" Root ordered.

"Shall I go with you?" Butler asked.

"Damn right you should!" Root barked. "I was talking to you, wasn't I?"

"Actually, you kept referring to Trouble..." Butler trailed off as Root cut in, "What the D'Arvit, there's no time for arguments now, just get moving!"

Artemis stepped in front of the Commander, who was busy getting ready. "What about me, Commander?" he asked anxiously.

Trouble glared at him and answered his question. "You just _sit _here and damn bloody well _shut up!"_

Artemis stared at Trouble, alarmed at his vehement reaction.

"How do you expect us to trust you now, huh? And anyway, you're so scrawny, you'd add to the problem _instead _of solving it!" Trouble spat viciously.

Artemis opened his mouth to retort furiously but Commander Root held up a hand to stop his barrage of words from pouring forth.

"No! Don't add fuel to the fire, Fowl," Root said immediately. "Trouble's right. Stay here and be a good _boy_ and maybe I'll buy you a what d'you call it - ah! - PlayStation."

Artemis was tempted to slip out of his icy composure and roll his eyes, but that would have been too childish. "I already have the PlayStation 2, Commander, as well as the Xbox and the Gamecube. And by any chance, I'm already _seventeen,_" he said incredulously. "Incentives like computer consoles no longer interest me."

"Ah, you're thinking about the other stuff now, eh?" Commander Root chuckled, and gave him a cheeky wink. "Maybe a free entrance into Honeybee Inn then," Commander Root grinned. "We'll be back soon, Fowl."

"Why can't I go with you?" Artemis whined, forgetting himself for a moment.

"Because you're not exactly LEP material," Root said distractedly as he put on his equipment and latched on a safety rope.

"_I'll _get Holly for sure this time, Fowl," Trouble spat, having not entirely forgiven Artemis for his accidental folly. "At least she can count on _me_."

"Oh, give him a _break_, Trouble," Butler retorted, anxious to protect his charge's feelings.

Artemis waved the comment off. "It's ok, Butler," he snapped. "I'll live."

_What Trouble said is true. I'm so useless._

Butler, Trouble and Root began to abseil down the cliff while Artemis watched them, silently praying for their health.

_Come back soon. Come back with Holly, _Artemis thought desperately, and began to feel rather jealous as he watched the trio save a girl who couldn't even depend on him.

_I hate myself, _Artemis thought savagely. _Why couldn't I be stronger?_

Staring determinedly at the hole, he gingerly ran a hand over the excess LEP equipment, before common sense abandoned him and the desire to prove himself grew stronger. He put it on, and got ready to slide down the crack to save Holly.

~*~

****

(Holly's point of view)

Holly's body slammed against hard rock as she succumbed to the law of gravity and fell to the depths below. The threat of impending death seemed imminent as Holly's nose was buried ungraciously in a heap of soil. Glowing red rocks gleamed around her, as if to welcome her to the pit of anguish she was about to face. Holly couldn't move. She felt the tiniest of blue sparks rush along her body to heal her sore wounds, but it seemed to be insufficient as Holly had forgotten to replenish her magic, since the recent spate of events had caused her to forget entirely about self-defence.

"D' Arvit," Holly groaned in pain as she tried to move her immobile back. She sat up gingerly, her ankle feeling crushed by the impact. Her blue sparks ended its run at her ankle, which meant that she was healed, except for her twisted ankle. Holly lay against the magma wall for support, thankful for the fact that she had at least not forgotten to rub on fireproof lotion on her body. It seemed like ages ago now, but before her date with Trouble, she had rubbed it on mainly for the sweet scent it produced, since women like Holly never bought perfume.

Holly tried to stand up as she supported herself against the wall. "Hello?" she called out beyond the depths, hearing her own muffled voice get drowned by the raging noise of rushing magma in the Earth's core.

_You made it, Holly? I'm so surprised. I thought you were a goner for sure. Now I'll still have to prepare your funeral._

"Shut up!" Holly shouted, gingerly walking. "You....you _coward_, where are you?!"

_Come and find me, Holly, _her father taunted. _Come and find papa._

"Garrrrrrgh!" Holly screamed in frustration, pressure increasing on her injured ankle. She limped forwards, and promptly, a bursting sound of a bomb went off, which shocked Holly, causing her to collapse.

Smoke surrounded Holly, and she coughed and wheezed as she inhaled it. It left a burning trail down her throat, and she felt choked and suffocated as a sea of grey floated before her vision. Tears streamed from her eyes as dust particles rose up and gathered to irritate her eyeballs, and Holly blindingly stumbled forward, trying to see her way through. Her father must have used a smoke bomb to throw her off balance, Holly thought as she crashed headlong into a wall. Holly felt her chest grow tight as her breathing difficulties increased, and all she could smell was the acrid, burnt stench of smouldering matter. it threatened to consume her, to overwhelm her, and to kill her. Her head grew cloudy like the columns of thick, grey smoke surrounding her, numbing her senses. Smoke seemed to ravage her body everywhere: her eyes, her brain, her nose, her mouth, her lungs. Holly needed freedom; she felt the need to get out, but she was trapped in an endless world of smoke which had formed a shield around her and was slowly draining the life out of her. 

"Help," she whispered, crouching on the floor, feeling helpless, having no idea who she was talking to. "Help, help, help."

All that answered her were the ghostly wisps of grey smoke that loomed dangerously over her, as if they controlled her fate and were about to menacingly take it away from her. 

While she contemplated her destiny, she felt someone forcefully and suddenly grab her by the waist, lifting her out of the clouds of smoke; then she felt her saviour slam into a wall behind her. In doing so, her twisted ankle screamed in acute agony as her saviour accidentally put pressure on it.

"Arrrrrgh!" she shrieked in pain. "Watch the foot!" she shouted as she turned around to regard her saviour. No prizes for guessing who.

"What, no thanks?" Artemis said sarcastically, gently putting her down onto the ground before walking away.

"Where are you going?" Holly asked, her pride hurt at Artemis' cold treatment.

"Come and see," Artemis challenged, flashing her a malevolently wicked grin.

"We have to get my father," Holly said matter-of-factly, trying to steady herself, but fell on Artemis, whose face met the ground.

"Geez," Artemis muttered through a mouthful of soil, "next time at least give me a warning so I can turn my face the other way."

"Sorry," Holly said, rolling off him and blushing involuntarily. He got up and lifted her up, and as he did, she leaned on him for support. He kept a firm grip on her waist as she limped along, and her cheeks felt surprisingly warm as being this close to him made her feel.

_Snap out of it, it's a mistake, remember? _Holly chided herself.

_You don't want to go through that bullshit again, _her sub-conscience nagged. _Remember how you thought it would turn out for the better, and how you're tearing up inside now?!_

"Where is he, Holly?" Artemis asked softly, distracting Holly from her thoughts. "Can you hear him?"

"He doesn't want to tell me where he is," Holly admitted, feeling her heart beat irregularly as her hazel eyes met the chilly blue of Artemis'. For a moment, she thought he saw a slight warmth in Artemis' eyes as he regarded her, but was quickly replaced by an icy emotion that was enough to send Holly into a freezing motion. She hurriedly looked away, embarrassed for having revealed so much of her soul to Artemis in just one look. As if he couldn't see through her already. As if Artemis hadn't uncovered all her secret personalities and character traits; as if he had never seen how this headstrong woman could be reduced to a shivering mass of vulnerability as she faced the ones she loved.

_I think it's something I almost hate him for, _Holly thought as Artemis continued to help her along, walking forwards in the deep crack that stretched endlessly. _I think I almost hate him for somehow having the ability to unscramble me apart and remove me from my safe shell. Maybe that's why I rejected him._

Sweat gathered on her face as the rising heat from the Earth's boiling magma contained within the soil threatened to burst forth and drown them. Although her sub-conscience was nagging away at the back of her mind to seize the opportunity and make up with Artemis, something was holding Holly back. 

Her fears. Her insecurities. Her unspoken uncertainties. In her entire life, she had only ever loved three people: her mother, who was now dead, her father, who had misused that love and turned it into something more horrible, and the childhood friend of her past, which she had never revealed to anybody. 

She had grown up with and eventually fell in love with this friend. His name was Riley, and from the tender age of fourteen, he had believed in her ambitions to be an LEP officer even though it was a job no female had ever taken up before. His firm belief in her dreams, and his deep understanding of her fears and reservations, as well as how he could comfort her when she was depressed, triggered an emotion that had turned Holly's life upside down. She had loved the way Riley could express difficult emotions through the form of writing, and because it was his hobby, she had chosen to reveal her feelings to him when he was at his most emotional. That evening, Riley had told her that he would be writing, and she had gone to Riley's house to give her heart to him. That was when she had suffered her first, and most likely worst, heartbreak. As she stood there with only the silence of the night to accompany her, she realised that Riley already had a girlfriend, a girlfriend he had never told her about. Unable to accept the fact that he was kissing a different girl - which she rightfully felt should have been her - on the doorstep, Holly had run off home, and forever closed her heart so as to not suffer anymore heartbreak.

That is why, loving Artemis was taking a lot more out of her than he would realise. If she accepted him, if she opened up, if she gave him a part of her heart, she could never take it back again - he could only take it away from her. Holly had learned not to trust love that easily. _There can't be many more pieces of my heart left to go around, _Holly thought. _In the event that his love for me runs out, my heart would collapse as yet another part of my heart has been removed._

A searing pain jolted Holly back to reality, and she left her musings as she shouted in pain. She realised that she had been leaning too much on her injured ankle, and she gripped on tighter to Artemis as she tried to regain her balance. Suddenly, she heard a couple of voices ahead, and she realised Commander Root, Trouble and Butler were looking around for her with their helmet lights switched on.

"Holly!" Trouble's voice broke as he ran to her, and pushed Artemis out of the way. He hugged her, and accidentally trod on her injured ankle, which caused Holly to shriek with pain. Root was beaming as he looked at her, and Butler was tending to an Artemis who had been knocked askew.

"I thought you were gone for good, Holly," Trouble said, hugging her tightly.

"Nice to see you, Trouble," Holly choked, feeling the air choked out of her by Trouble's embrace. He really was quite sweet, Holly rationalized. If only he wasn't so clumsy, and if only she wasn't in love with Artemis, she could have given him a chance.

Suddenly, a blast sent them apart, and Holly screamed as she was flung away from Trouble. Her ankle seemed to wrench painfully as she fell backwards, her mouth bleeding as she hit the ground. She saw Trouble crawling towards Root, who was on the ground, writhing, and Butler, who was clutching his arm in agony. No Artemis. She looked frantically around for Artemis.

"Where's Artemis?" she yelled out hysterically, but received no answer. Her heart began to pound anxiously.

"What a nice little gathering," a deep voice resounded. "It's all very convenient, of course, with the five of you here, ready for me to kill you. I hate betrayals, if you must know. No one will get in the way of my thirst for power," the voice laughed maniacally, "Oh, I love watching the drama of your lives unfold. Did you like Act One? I pride myself on finding the best bombs there are. Didn't you see what happened to lovely Haven? That should give you an indication. Hahaha! Are you ready for Act Two?!"

"Father," Holly spat ferociously. "Leave them alone, and just deal with me."

"Why, Holly," the voice grew clearer as a lone figure stepped out of the shadows, and finally revealed himself to them. "Doesn't someone seem to be missing?"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ARTEMIS?" Holly screamed, lunging towards him, before the intense pain in her ankle threw her off balance and nearly split her head open.

"Hahaha! Never try to take on Daddy, Holly, you should know that," her father said viciously, his hazel eyes, so much like Holly's, narrowing dangerously. "I'll show you where your dear...._Arty _is," her father laughed again. With a snap of his fingers, he transformed into a ghostly-looking, pale reflection of the Artemis she loved so much. But something wasn't quite right. Something was wrong with the maniac glint in the icy blue eyes that regarded her. Something was wrong with the way he picked up a Neutrino 2000, the way he powered it up, and the way he cocked his head to one side as he prepared to shoot...

Holly scampered to a safe spot as Artemis began randomly shooting around the place, the laser light ricocheting off the earth walls in a frenzy. She felt Trouble hand her a fairy gun, and she clutched in her hand tightly.

"Shoot him," Trouble hissed. "He's not himself! Shoot him before we all die."

"Why can't _you_ do it?" Holly hissed back.

Trouble tossed his head casually, giving his arm a pointed look. "I've got only one good arm, you've got two. _Do_ it, Holly!"

"Hurry up Holly!" Root barked.

"I can't....!" Holly replied furiously, her hand shaking. Her vision began to get blurry as tears of frustration overtook her eyes. 

"You can! Don't disappoint us now, Holly!" Root snapped. "Kill the Mud Boy!" She knew Root and Trouble had no affection for Artemis, but what about her? She valiantly tried to concentrate as the vision of Artemis floated before her. A possessed Artemis. An Artemis she had to shoot because of her father's greed. An Artemis she had to shoot because her father was making use of him to taunt her again, to tear her heart apart, to punish her for thinking of betraying him. An Artemis she _loved_.

Well, she had learned her lesson. There was enough heartbreak. Why couldn't her father forgive her? Why did things have to come to this stage? Why did he have to take away everything she had ever remotely loved? Holly's heart twisted as she tried to focus.

Holly's hand shook as she tried to take aim, trying to stay professional, trying to be the good LEP officer she was before Artemis came into her life and pulled her out of a life of normalcy. She was the good LEP officer, the one everyone looked up to. She couldn't let her fellow colleagues down now, after they trusted her to get the job done. And like the good, successful LEP officer she'd always been, she would have to obey them. 

Even if it was to shoot the Artemis that would never smile at anyone else but her, because he trusted only her. The Artemis who didn't care how much of his soul was borne with that smile, as long it was directed to her. The Artemis who taught her to understand that beauty was in the eye of the beholder, and that to bear a prejudice against one person, no matter how hard it is not to, was unfair. The Artemis whom she could exchange verbal abuse with, which in their own twisted way, was just as entertaining to them as playing kickball was to a child. Then, she had fallen for him. 

_I didn't even say sorry. I didn't even make it up with Artemis. I didn't do the things he wanted me to do. I didn't say I loved him back. Oh God, I all but hurt him and to top it all off, I'm going to finish him off now. His blood will be spilt on my hands, the stain never removable. And he would have only lived a young life of seventeen years. **Only** seventeen years._

Holly ducked a laser light that was shot at her, and as her hazel eyes met the icy blue she knew so well, time seemed to stop for her. All Holly could hear was the incessant pounding of her heart in her ears as her fingers pulled the trigger, and the blast of the fairy gun as a light shot out and travelled squarely in Artemis' direction. She bit her lip to keep from crying. She had to keep her emotions in check. A good LEP officer knows how not to let her emotions get in the way. With a deep gulp, she shut her eyes as she refused to register that Artemis might not make it to the age of eighteen. And it would be all her doing...the guilt would torment her forever.

****

Author's Note: 

__

Guess why I decided to put this here? Because my Author's Note will concern what happens in the next chapter. I know, what a cliffhanger, I actually wanted to continue but I was feeling evil so you have to wait for the next chapter. :) Whether Artemis dies depends on how Holly shot, and to find out how Holly shot in the state of mind she was in, you'll have to read the next chapter. I'd like to take this moment to thank you for the 15 reviews I received in the space of three days. It's a pretty overwhelming response considering that when I first started with this fic, I only received 4 reviews. :) So I'm really very grateful. And yes, I know I promised this chapter yesterday, but I have a nasty habit of being very critical with my work and so I had to keep on rewriting it until it came out the way I wanted it to.

By the way, Gliniel, I don't get what you mean when you said the tone was too serious and you weren't really in a crying mood. Did that mean that my story's getting too, to put it simply, draggy? Please explain, thanks.

Thank you to Magic Girl2, who's been really supportive by sending me a whole truckload of reviews, and to the usual people: Hermione Weasley, Gliniel, Angel of the Storms, and Rhapsody. flamaria13 for pressurizing me into getting a new chapter out as soon as possible, and butler for an encouraging review.

Does anyone bother to read this long note? :)

-The End of a very long A/N-


	13. Breathing Again

__

Chapter Thirteen: Breathing Again

****

(Holly's point of view)

As the sound of the shot resounded around the room, a shout of pain followed as it struck Artemis squarely at the shoulder, knocking the Neutrino 2000 out of his grip. Holly's eyes flew open as Artemis' cry rang out around her, and her eyes briefly registered a collapsing Artemis before she realised that she had not killed him, but merely disarmed him. She could have sobbed with relief, but just at that precise moment, an apparition of her father flew out of Artemis and landed in front of her, before changing back to solid form again. He was laughing maniacally.

"Very _stupid_, Holly, you missed! Had you killed him, you would have killed me as well," he hissed as he lifted Holly's defiant chin up. "Have your affections gotten in the way again? You're not such a good LEP officer like Daddy after all." He began to walk away.

"You...!" shrieked Holly, and she lunged for the back of his coat, before the jarring pain in her ankle jolted her senses and threw her back into reality. She cursed her injured ankle and wished she had enough magic to heal it. She grabbed Trouble's Neutrino 2000 and hoisted it on her shoulder. Her father had somehow attached a pair of wings to his shoulders and flown up high. The pulsating magma from the Earth's core illuminated his silhouette as he grinned wickedly at them.

"This world is mine! I have the right to own it," he said greedily, a spark burning merrily in his eyes. "And no one will stop me!" he hissed as his eyes lit up with a dangerous menace. The wings behind him gave him the impression of an angel, but the irony was that this angel of death delighted in creating misery for everyone.

Holly yelled a string of unintelligible words as she took aim and shot at him with her Neutrino 2000, but he cleverly dodged it. In fact, he stretched out a hand and expertly caught the laser beam in his hand, like you would with a baseball. He collated all of the laser beam's strength into a sphere, and grinning malevolently at Holly, he thrust his hand forward and it spiralled towards Holly, who just managed to get out of the way before 100,000 volts of Neutrino light knocked her out for a day.

"I like to give chances, Holly. Do you want me to give you the chance to live?" he asked, throwing his head back and laughing. Without waiting for her reply, he stretched out a hand and using an invisible force, lifted Holly up to his level. Holly stared at him rebelliously, her chin jutting out. Her eyes held a dangerously fierce spark that matched the one in her own father's hazel eyes, and for a moment, she wondered how things could have gotten so out of hand. Was this really the father she loved? How could it be that he was driven to such a point by his own obsession and need for vengeance?

"Now don't be so insolent, Holly. You are my beloved daughter after all..."

"Rubbish!" Holly found herself yelling. "If you spared a thought about me, you wouldn't have _started _all this!"

"How _dare _you talk back!" her father said angrily, and blasted a sphere of blue light at her, which sent her flying backwards and knocking into the wall of clay behind her. She slid back down towards the ground, but before she hit it, her father lifted her back up.

He threw a sword at her as she remained lifted above ground.

"Let's settle this the old-fashioned way, Holly," he explained as he drew out another sword and pointed it at her. "Let's see you succumb to your own doom."

Holly felt her ankle miraculously heal as her father directed a jet of blue sparks at her ankle. "I'm fair, Holly, so don't say you have a disadvantage against me," he spat, as he charged forward to slash Holly into half.

Holly's sword clanged as she brought it up to defend herself. _He's fair? _Holly thought incredulously. _He knows I'm hopeless with swords, for D'Arvit's sake. I've been dealing with guns and Neutrinos for half of my good life! How would I know how to wield a sword?_

"A good LEP officer is versatile with all sorts of weapons, Holly," her father sneered as he continued relentlessly with his attempts to pierce Holly's tender flesh with the sharp tip of his sword. "You have much to learn, I am ashamed of you!"

"Shut up!" Holly yelled as her sword criss-crossed against his, the clanging sound of metal against metal deafening. Pulling away, she somersaulted backwards as her father's sword thrust towards the air and dived beneath her, slicing the air instead. She landed back on her two feet on the ground - or air, since she was still levitated above ground by her flying father. 

Hardly a moment later, her head shot to the left sharply as her father's sword came towards her direction again and nearly severed off her ear. Holly ran forward with her sword in her hand, fearlessly trying to stab her father's stomach. His reflexes were as quick as hers and he blocked her attempt by bringing his sword down on hers. Holly tried to free her sword from his and mustering up all her strength, she pushed against her father's sword upwards, so that the two swords slowly arced upwards, as if the two swords were in a hand-wrestling game. 

But suddenly, without warning, her father withdrew his sword, taking Holly by surprise; and with a loud _swish _through the air, his sword cut Holly's cheek and as the tender skin parted beneath the blade like torn silk, fresh blood spilled out, oozing onto the silver blade and staining the shiny tip a dull crimson. Holly, who had been too stunned to move, hurriedly jerked away from the sword and screamed. Her free hand instinctively went up to her bleeding cheek, where the gash spurted out a river of blood that trailed down her neck and onto her clothes. At the sight of his bloodied daughter, the father gave a hysterical, and triumphant laugh, before proceeding to get a fanatical gleam in his eyes and thrusting out his sword for a second time, this time attempting to get the sword through her stomach. He could almost relish the delight of seeing his daughter's intestines scream in agony as his blade ceased their function, and his daughter's blood flow out like a soul escaping from a scenario of immense pain and misery.

Holly gave an unintelligible yell as she darted aside, furious determination etched out in her hazel eyes. The very same hazel eyes of her father's, with the very same determination in them. Yet, as both seemingly identical eyes met, the willpower sparkling in both eyes did not share the same purpose - one shone brightly for the will to survive, and the other shone brightly for the will to kill. The tragic irony would again be played out when the father tried to slay his daughter once more, while the daughter struggled to save what little pieces of the life she had left.

"Stop running _away_, Holly!" her father shouted irately as his sword plunged through air once more instead of his daughter's body. He was properly angered now - like a vicious beast, prowling around like the silent predator, howling in frustration when the elusive prey continued to evade him. He hated being outsmarted, and felt cheated. This was supposed to have ended early with Holly's death. But she was still escaping from him, on the loose, freedom still accompanying her.

Holly swung her sword around blindly, darkness beginning to eat away at her consciousness. The bleeding wasn't stopping because she had no more magic left to save her, and Holly wryly decided that she preferred a broken ankle to a 'broken' cheek. Thoughts and regrets were the last thing on her mind as she concentrated on staying alive, instead of dying and eventually falling to the ground, chopped up in unrecognisable pieces by her father's sword.

_Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang. _Each sound of metal on metal was another fragment of hope for Holly. It meant that she had successfully defended herself against her father, and had lived on by another minute more. Thinking in this positive way made Holly suddenly feel strangely calm, and in control of her actions and her emotions. This ability to switch off and concentrate on the task at hand was what had made her such a successful Recon officer. Granted, she hadn't been feeling calm while she was trying to shoot Artemis, but that was a different matter. She chose not to reflect about it, settling for comforting herself that Artemis had survived, with only a dislocated shoulder. If she could continue to remain calm, maybe she would defeat her father after all.

Holly fell on her back and did a backward roll as her father's sword _swished _again through the air and attempted to decapitate her. Agility was Holly's forte and even her bleeding cheek would not get in the way. Holly hurriedly used her sword to protect her face as her father's sword rushed towards her nose, and the _clang _that resounded through the place gave her a special sense of relief. She pushed her father's sword away from her and leapt back to her feet, ready for another round.

"Not giving up yet, Holly?" her father snickered, and at that exact moment, a shower of fireworks erupted around his feet, and he tried to escape it by flying around.

Holly realised that it wasn't fireworks, but Trouble and Root firing away with their LEP weaponry below. Somehow, they had managed to get their act together and were shooting at her father to help her. Trouble was not a very good one-armed shooter, but he made the effort to try. Commander Root seemed to be paralysed from the waist down, and his legs were bleeding, but he had two perfectly good arms and were using two Neutrinos to fire at her father. Neutrinos were good for long-range shots, but unfortunately, Holly's father was as quick and agile as Holly was, and it was getting increasingly difficult to shoot at him. Butler also had only one good arm, but he was well-trained as a bodyguard, and could use one hand to shoot with his trusty gun, the Sig Sauer. Artemis was unconscious, and for a moment, Holly felt a pang of guilt, but she soon banished it from her heart as her father came at her again.

"I see your little friends have finally decided to wake up. Such a shame it is, but now our game's all the more challenging," her father scorned and violently slashed through the air with his sword, forcing Holly to counter his moves quickly, such that her wrist had to move at a really remarkable speed. 

_Left! Right! Left! Right! _Holly's brain kept thinking as her wrists moved quickly, her eyes keeping in check with her father's sword movements. For every 'right' her father went, she went left, and their swords met in a cross. For every 'left' her father went, she had to go right. The clanging sound became more deafening than before, and the impatient rumble of gunfire added to the clashing noises in the place. Holly tried not to let it get to her as she countered her father's every move, her cheek going increasingly pale as blood drained out of her like someone had pulled a plug from a sink.

It seemed as if it would never end. Holly's father seemed to have eyes at the back of his head as he could dodge the gunshots fired at him _as well as _fight Holly. She watched in awe as he flew from left to right, avoiding the gunshots, while thrusting his sword forward, anxiously trying to spill Holly's blood. He truly was the amazing Recon officer of his time, one that she had respected, one that she had wanted to be. Then suddenly everything went awry!

"Arrrgh!" he grunted in pain as a shot fired by Commander Root blasted through one of his wings. It fell to the ground, and Commander Root was left with just one wing. He seemed out of balance and Holly used the opportunity to crouch on her knees and swing her sword around on the ground, trying to sweep at his feet, and cut them off in the process. At the last possible moment, he jumped and she swung through emptiness, while he took advantage of her kneeling position and plunged his sword through her back. Her blood splashed onto his face and he used his tongue to lick at one of the droplets greedily, like a lunatic. Holly shrieked in pain and the barest hint of a victorious smile played around Holly's father's lips before his other wing was blasted apart and he spiralled to the ground, losing control. Holly also felt herself falling to the ground as her father lost control of his magic powers and failed to keep her afloat in the air. Her back arched as the pain overwhelmed her and she crashed to the ground, beaten. Blood trickled merrily down her back in a stream, oozing out her life, her soul, her existence.

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

Artemis groaned as he came back into consciousness. A riot of shooting and gunfire resounded all around him and he struggled to get up, a blazing pain in his shoulder almost causing him to lose consciousness again. His eyes briefly registered a falling Holly before he frantically abandoned all common sense and crawled over to her, clutching his shoulder. Her eyes were rolling about in their sockets, and Artemis knew she was fighting.

_She's fighting it. She's fighting death. She's fighting the world of eternal darkness she will be plunged into, _Artemis thought, and lightly ran his hand over her forehead, hoping she could feel him, feel his encouragement, feel his support.

"Captain Short, I order you to wake up now," Artemis whispered, gently running his hand through her auburn hair. "Are you going to disobey a direct order?"

He could almost hear her retort in his head: _Who are you to order me about anyway? You're nothing but a Mud Boy. _Artemis had to hold back a smile as he thought of her defiant reply, and sad realisation dawned on him that she wasn't going to reply unless she overcame the pushing force of death. Artemis almost wished that Holly would reply. Yet, he could only wish. He brushed a hand over her uninjured cheek, a gesture that he would cherish Holly if given the chance. They both had such close shaves with death. If that hadn't wisened them up, nothing else would. 

Artemis had hated himself for allowing this fairy to shelve away his pride and reduce him to a pool of mush. He hated abandoning the comfortable shell of icy composure, and reveal his true self to her, just as she had to him. They had both taken risks with stripping away their facades, just to experience what it was like to put another person in a more important position than yourself, and just to experience what it was like to feel deep affection for another. Then when Holly had suddenly decided she had enough, she had coldly pushed him away. She had worn back her coat of pride and strength, but had not given him back his, leaving him defenceless, vulnerable, a porcupine without thorns. He had been so angry with her for leaving him so exposed. He had been so angry with her that he was ready to push her away as well. 

Throughout the period he remained angry with her, he had gradually grown back his thorns, and time had sewn for him a new coat of pride and strength, that he had worn without complaint. It was effective in making him forget his feelings for Holly. He had thought to himself that never again would he let someone leave him so vulnerable again. Yet, as he came face-to-face with the very person who had done that to him, he found himself giving in. The lesson that he thought he had learnt became unlearned as he began to love Holly all over again. _Some people,_ he thought dryly, _are just so stubborn. They never learn, like me._

"You're being really rude by not answering," Artemis said, and smiled encouragingly. It was like an instinctive reaction. Smiling at Holly meant that much of his hidden character was again revealed to the world, but it made him feel good. No matter how much of his soul was borne with that one smile.

Holly's eyelids fluttered erratically as she struggled to get back to reality. Artemis gave her hand a gentle squeeze, encouraging her. Her shoulder seemed to wince in pain as he did that, but he ignored it as he focused on the helpless form in front of him.

"Come on, Holly. I'm here," Artemis whispered. He bent down so that his nose touched hers. "I'm so close. Can you feel me? Answer me."

She wasn't responding. More blood flowed out of her, and a raging battle went on behind Artemis as Root, Trouble and Butler tried to shoot the living daylights out of Holly's father. 

Artemis then placed his lips on Holly's, the coldness of her lips bringing Artemis to the sinking realisation that she could very well be dying. They lingered there for a moment before his lips grazed her cheek, her forehead, and the bridge of her nose. But she didn't awaken. She didn't respond. She didn't get up and say, "Delirious", if he asked her how she was feeling. She didn't get up and tell him off for being so bold. She didn't even get up and slap him, and the fact that she seemed so dead sank Artemis' hopeful heart like a stone in deep water.

Suddenly he felt someone grab him from behind and throw him off Holly. His shoulder twisted in pain and he briefly let out a yell of tortured pain before he saw Holly's father feebly crawling towards Holly. Her father's face was splashed with blood, tainted with Holly's and his, mingled together in the sweat that had gathered on his face. It glistened in the light given off by the magma, and the raw burns on his skin showed that Butler, Trouble and Root had managed to defeat this wrecked man.

No, _almost_ defeat! Before Artemis had time to push Holly's father out of the way, he turned into a shadowy form of himself, and whispered eerily, "I'm dying anyway...this is my last chance..." before his soul sank and infiltrated into Holly's. Artemis squeezed his eyes shut, the feeling of dejection beginning to overpower him. What was going to happen now? Would Holly make it?

Holly's body began to twitch violently, and her eyes rolled around as lifelessly as before. Artemis began to feel the hand of creepiness clutch tightly at his heart. He had never seen such a scary reaction as this, nor would _ever _again.

Holly suddenly jerked back up on her two feet, her hazel eyes panic-stricken. Artemis reached towards her, but she lifted her leg and kicked him away. He was thrown backwards into a wall, and lay there, stunned, his shoulder throbbing in pain.

"_Don't_ come any closer. That goes for _all _of you!" Holly shouted, picking up her fallen sword and placing it dangerously close to her neck. Her eyes held a spark of fierce defiance and determination, even though she was swaying back and forth, as a result of her injured back.

"Now don't be foolish, Holly," Commander Root said nervously, and started towards her with his gun, but she screamed, "_Put_ that gun _down_!"

"Holly -"

"I said, _put it down!"_ Holly yelled.

"All right, all right," Root said cautiously, slowly putting his gun down on the ground.

"And go back where you came from," Holly snapped.

Root backed down. The silence in the air was extremely tense. Artemis could only hear the loud pounding of his heart in his ears.

"Everyone else, put your gun down," Holly barked. "_Go on!"_

Trouble and Butler put down their guns and gulped.

Holly shut her eyes and whispered softly, "Goodbye."

She began to slice her throat with the sword, amid surprised yells from Root and Trouble. Drops of blood gathered on the sword, but suddenly she fell backwards and the sword clattered out of her hand as she looked down and realised Artemis had lunged forward and grabbed her feet, sliding them out from beneath her, causing her to fall backwards.

"Bloody Mud Boy!" she yelled, and kicked him away. Yet, even as he clutched his shoulder in agony, he had two good legs, and countered. He valiantly tried to remember all that Butler taught him for self-defence as he felt Holly's leg come in contact with his face, and recoiled in pain. His nose had begun to bleed, and he tried to kick back, but to no avail. Suddenly, Butler realised that he had a duty to do, he had to protect his charge, and immediately lunged forward to fight with Holly. Soon, Commander Root and Trouble joined in, outnumbering Holly by four to one.

Holly fell back on her back and Root, Trouble and Butler pinned her down. Artemis stood in front of her, clutching his shoulder.

"How do we get Holly's father out of her body?" Root questioned, and Holly gave a violent thrash.

"Stunning her won't do her any good," Trouble rationalised. "Her father would still be trapped inside."

"The best thing we can do is to agitate Holly. Then Holly will fight back, she will fight to have her father out of her system," Artemis said.

"Come on, Holly, _fight!_" Trouble encouraged, thumping her on the shoulder.

"I...I'm not Holly!"

"You are...you are! Captain Holly Short, of the LEPrecon Unit," Trouble insisted.

"Go away!" she shrieked, shoving him away. She picked up the sword and started slashing it around in the air like a deranged lunatic.

Trouble ducked a blow. "Holly! It's me...Trouble!"

A maniac glint sparkled in her eyes. Her voice suddenly went very deep and she boomed, "I'm not going to let Holly go!", before her voice was restored to normal and she screamed, as if her head was splitting open. She clutched her hands to her head and collapsed, growling like a desperate, hungry lioness.

Trouble took the risk of shaking Holly by the shoulders and screaming in her ear, "I love you, Holly! Please stop doing this! Oh, Holly...!"

Holly spun around and regarded him with a wild look in her eye. She started slapping him, and suddenly, she seemed to have two bodies as the image of her father swam in and out of her body. They merged as one, before her father's image floated out, only to be merged with her body again.

Root grabbed a gun and tried to shoot at the image of Holly's father that swam in and out. It was a great test on his experience and expertise as a LEPrecon officer. He tried to wait as Holly's father's image became more solid before he shot, but it was like an arcade game gone terribly wrong as Holly's father made less appearances, because he was beginning to ravage Holly's soul.

Artemis suddenly got an inspiration. He picked up a rock off the ground and flung it hard at Holly. It struck her on the head, and she immediately spun around to face him.

"What the hell was _that _for, Mud Boy?"

"It was to see if you had a brain, Captain Short," he raised an eyebrow and smiled. "The rock made a hollow resounding sound as it struck your head. Still pretty empty-headed, aren't we, Captain Short?"

"How _dare _you!" she screamed, and threw a rock back at him.

Artemis dodged it. "Not only do you need to brush up on your intellect, but you need slingshot practice as well."

Holly retorted, "Oh, I'm sure I'll improve...if _you're _my target!"

"Why me, Captain Short? Are you attracted to me?" he said, with a tinge of his trademark arrogance, slightly arching his eyebrow.

"The only things that would be attracted to you are fleas!" Holly retorted.

"Are you a flea then? Since we obviously shared some moments of affection."

Suddenly, Holly seemed to be stunned as she stepped backwards. Something seemed to trigger in her memory and she backed away from him, as if afraid of recalling anything else.

"You _do _remember, don't you, Captain Short?" Artemis whispered, smiling, as he reached out to stroke her cheek softly. "Or do I need to remind you?" he added, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

"You cocky piece of filth," she whispered, and at that precise moment, the battle was won. Holly's character came back into play as her body flew forwards and landed in Artemis' arms and her father was repelled out of her body. 

Commander Root, taking his chance, lifted his gun. He was trained to do this. He was good at this, and he knew. He took aim as he squeezed the trigger, the shot resounding around the room. The beam of light raced towards its victim, and struck him squarely in the chest. The fanatical eyes of Holly's father registered a moment of alarm before the movie of his life ended tragically. The beam of light found an exit right through him and claimed his soul like a wisp of cloud blown about in a fierce wind. The insane smile froze on his face as he fell backwards, a grim reminder of how much he had believed in his twisted ambitions to own the world.

He was defeated, and dead. A punishing hand of guilt and sorrow fiercely twisted Root's heart as he turned away and tried not to look at the man who lay there like stone, alone and forgotten by the world beyond, because he had shot him. So much for not letting emotions get in the way. But he was not alone. Butler, Trouble, and Artemis, each felt a heart-wrenching guilt for the fate of the man which lay crushed and distorted in their hands. They would have chosen a more pleasant way to end this, but how could anyone be pleasant with a callous man who had destroyed the lives of so many people? Yet, Artemis contradicted, even the most evil of human beings hold a spark of decency. That decency, Holly's father had practised when he was still in the LEP. A pity his own need for fierce vengeance, his deep, ingrained hatred for failing to put righteousness back into the corrupted world of the LEP, had stained his very own soul and directed him to the path of villainy.

"U-Ugh..." Holly muttered as she regained control of her own self. Her back was still bleeding, and she was feeble all over. She would have collapsed on the ground had it not been for Artemis who held her up.

"Come on, let's go," Artemis whispered, not wishing for Holly to bear with the agony of watching her father who had fallen from grace. Much as she had resented her own father for taking advantage of her love for him and used it against her, as well as taking away so many innocent lives, a father is still a father, and no matter how hard any daughter tries to erase the memory of a father from her mind, the lingering traces would still be harboured in her heart, since the scrubbing away of the memory would still leave a scarring impact on it. Furthermore, Holly and her father had been close, before this whole ordeal.

So as the five people left the place which held the presence of a silent tomb, Artemis, for the first time, wished that another fellow human being - in this case, Holly's father - would find peace.

~*~

****

(Holly's point of view)

Holly felt empty. The news of her father's death had finally reached her, after seven agonizingly long days. From what she had been told, she had been recuperating from her injuries during these seven days. Now that the news of her father's death had finally been told to her, she felt an aching emptiness in her that yearned to be filled up. She didn't know why. It was as if a part of her had been ripped out and buried together with her father. Her grief was too deep to comprehend, even though her father hadn't been a very exemplary figure in the last few years of his life.

Holly had laid some white lilies on a spot in her garden, which she had erected as small memorial towards her father. It did her some good to at least pay some sort of tribute to her father, even though he had completely used her. Holly had been reinstated by the LEP, because Foaly had helped to explain to the LEP that he himself had sensed the existence of Holly's father, since he had given the team of five a map that tracked down Holly's father's temperature and movements. Upon pressure from Root and Trouble, who gave detailed accounts about their journeys, the LEP council had been forced to accept Holly back into the LEP. Yet, Holly wasn't really in the mood to celebrate.

Holly sighed as somebody knocked on her door. She shuffled to the door, her footsteps seeming heavier than usual. Her heart was burdened with grief and sorrow, and she opened the door listlessly, wondering when everyone would just leave her alone. Couldn't a girl get some peace? The people who came to check up on her were as annoying as those who pretended to offer their condolences and sympathy during a funeral, who didn't know that what the deceased's family would appreciate best was some quiet time to reflect on their loss.

"Trouble?" Holly frowned as the image of Trouble swam into view. It was the first time she'd seen him in days. So far, the only people to visit were Commander Root, Foaly, a bunch of relatives who claimed they had been many times removed. Suffice to say she'd never even seen them in her entire life.

"Yep. It's me," Trouble said, and rather tonelessly for this usual optimist of a guy.

"What's up?" Holly asked, opening the door to let him in.

"Are you okay?" Trouble asked, concern interlacing his voice.

Holly shrugged, trying not to let her unhappiness show. "I'll live," she replied, trying for a smile.

Trouble seemed to buy it, and changed the subject. "You know...I wanted to ask you something, Holly." He shuffled his feet nervously.

Holly's heart pounded in her ears as she contemplated what he was about to say. "Yes...? What is it?"

"We're not together...right?"

Holly was taken aback. "Why the sudden question?"

"I don't know..." Trouble said dejectedly, and sank onto a couch.

"You know we'll always be friends, right?" Holly said, trying to smooth things over, trying to clear the awkwardness between them.

"I guess." Trouble didn't look at her.

Holly felt uneasy. "Where's...where's Artemis?"

Trouble's head whipped up, as if someone had beat him on the back of his head. "Why do you ask?" he asked warily, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Oh...er...never mind," Holly said hastily, cursing herself for almost letting her concern for Artemis show.

Trouble saw through her act and scowled. "It's him, isn't it?" he growled.

"I...I don't get you," Holly faltered.

"You've got him in your heart."

"I...I don't understand..." Holly stammered, looking away and feeling the heat rise up to her cheeks at her feeble denial.

Trouble stood up and walked over to her, turning her around to face him and shaking her by the shoulders. "You _like _that Mud Boy, don't you?!" he yelled.

Holly refused to reply as she stared defiantly at him, her hazel eyes burning with insolence.

"Forget it. I have a feeling I know the answer. Contrary to what many people think, Holly, your feelings show up very obviously in your eyes," Trouble said, trying to keep his angry breathing under control. He turned to leave.

"Is that why you came here? To question my feelings?" Holly retorted at his retreating back.

Trouble spun slowly around, the mark of rejection etched furiously in his eyes. Unshed tears burned the lower lids of his eyes. "Yes, Holly. I'll be very frank with you. I thought I had a chance with you, and I came here to find out. But now I know I was wasting my time. What did I do _wrong_, Holly...? Why didn't you pick _me?_" his voice broke with pent-up emotion.

"It's not _you_, Trouble," Holly said, trying to comfort him, feeling the knife of guilt plunge itself deep into her heart. "I wish I could have chosen the _both_ of you, but..." she trailed off as she gave him a friendly hug.

"Don't worry, Holly," Trouble said, trying to compose himself. "Don't beat yourself up. I know it's not your fault. It's just me."

"Oh, Trouble..."

Trouble left her embrace and opened her door to leave. Before he shut the door, he turned around and said, "I'll be okay. Don't worry. As for Artemis, he left our company two days ago for Fowl Manor. He might still be here. He might be waiting for you. Or he might have chosen to leave it all behind. I don't rightly know."

Holly's heart raced as a spark of hope filtered through the dark shadows of her heart. She ran up to Trouble and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for being so gallant, Trouble."

"No problem, Holly," Trouble said bravely, and gave Holly one last friendly squeeze. "Take care."

Holly's legs burned as she ran fiercely up to the shuttle port that went aboveground. She walked up to the commandant that was on the job. It was the same commandant who had obstructed her four years ago, the year of the Arctic Incident.

"D'Arvit, what's your name again?" Holly asked quickly.

"Commandant Terryl," the gnome replied.

"Yeah, Terryl. Did you see two Mud Men boarding the shuttle two days ago?"

"What, ya think my memory's that good?"

"Come _on!_" Holly said frantically, refusing to let this gnome get in the way of reconciling with Artemis.

"Of course not! I din't even _know _there were two Mud Men Underground."

"Thanks, Terryl, you're a life-saver." She resisted the temptation to kiss his green face. It was rather hideous.

Where in the Underground could Artemis and Butler be then? Holly wracked her brains furiously as she tried to think of possible places to go. Downtown Haven was a riot of workers who were furiously trying to restore the Haven they once loved, so it wasn't going to be easy. Holly jostled her way through the crowd as she combed the area for an out-of-the-ordinary bodyguard and a pair of blue eyes she knew so well, knowing that it was going to be a futile search. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Yet, there could only be one area where Artemis could have gone, and that would be the Honeybee area, since it was left relatively intact during her father's destruction on Haven.

Praising herself for being so streetwise, Holly ran the remaining distance to Honeybee Inn. Just as she pushed through the dingy revolving doors, she crashed into someone. As she looked up into the familiar blue eyes, she felt her hazel eyes lock magnetically to his as she spoke. 

"You didn't go," Holly said incredulously, but Artemis merely smiled.

"I was waiting for something...or someone," he replied.

"You've forgiven me?"

"What makes you think you deserve my forgiveness?"

He was asking from her to say _that_ something, she knew. There was always this established, silent rapport between them. What made it worse was that since she knew what he wanted her to say, she knew she couldn't turn back now. The turbulent memories of her past haunted her as she tried to muster up the courage to say them. The perfect images of Riley churned about in her mind as she debated the pros and cons of saying the words. Immediately, she almost wished she didn't have to say them. Because then, she would never have the power to take them back and make everything all right again if it all fell apart.

"Because," Holly began, and faltered.

"That's hardly an excuse, it's not even a sentence. But I forgot, you're not that intelligent," Artemis said, smiling wryly. They were the very same words he had used when he had tried to get her on a date.

"How intelligent must one be to love you then?" Holly replied.

"Are you saying...?"

Holly gulped and stared determinedly in Artemis' eyes. "I'm saying that...that I think I might love you."

"You _think _you _might?"_ Artemis raised his eyebrow.

"All right, I...I _know _I do," Holly admitted, and felt her ailing heart give yet another piece away.

"How do I know if I can trust you?" Artemis inquired softly, still standing stiffly, making no move to reach for her.

Holly smiled at his insecurity, and began rather dryly, "Pay me a sum of money. If I go back on what I've said, you get your money back - guaranteed."

"Someone's getting business-like."

"You know what they say - you love a criminal, you think like him."

"You can't put a price on love."

"Don't worry, even if there was a price, I wouldn't auction it off. Well...not unless it's worth a million pieces of fairy gold."

Artemis laughed, a pleasing sound to her ears, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a five-dollar bill and handed it to her. "It's not much, but it's an investment."

Holly took it reverently. "It's like affection, isn't it? You don't have to pay for it, yet it's an awfully good gift to give somebody."

"You have a warped sense of humour."

"So do you."

Artemis smiled and allowed himself to embrace her in his arms. He regarded her with soft blue eyes that sent shivers down her spine.

"What are your father and mother going to say?" Holly asked sensibly.

"Oh, stop spoiling the moment."

"I'm serious."

"Screw them," Artemis said, chuckling. "For now, it's just me and you."

The air Underground never seemed sweeter as Holly took in a breath of new life. Because of Artemis, she was breathing again. She delighted in plunging in deep into the world the two now shared, even though love and trust had never been very high on her list, because of the heartbreak that she was afraid of. Yet, as she stood against the wind with the feel of Artemis' arms around her, she was sure that the slice of life she was now tasting was the most saccharine of all.

****

Author's Note: _In case you're wondering, no, this is not the end! It's merely a closer step to finding out about why Holly married Trouble. I'm sorry if the ending sounded a bit rushed, but I've been working on this chapter for three days straight and my brain is already wracked. How did you like the final battle with Holly pit against her father? Leave a review so that I can continue to improve. :) Thanks a lot for reviewing, and I hope you're not just reading this story because you want me to honour you in my Author's Note. :)_


	14. Fervent Jealousy

__

Chapter 14: Fervent Jealousy

****

(Trouble's point of view)

Trouble stormed furiously into his house, slamming the door behind him. The vehemence in his reaction showed in the way the sound echoed through his house, and feeling livid and crestfallen, he yanked out a chair from his little dining table and sat on it, silently fuming. Trouble's arms crossed over his chest as he contemplated what Holly had said to him before:

__

"You know we'll always be friends, right?"

Friends! Trouble almost rebuked the idea. As if he could just be _friends_ with the wondrous Holly Short. The words that had flowed out of his mouth in reply to hers were merely tainted words of hypocrisy that he obviously did not mean.

_"I guess."_

Such deceitful words! Trouble scolded himself. He should have murdered himself there and then. Lying to Holly, and lying to himself, was something he did not usually do. It _disgusted_ him to think that he was such a coward, to give up in the battle for her love when he had suspected that she had chosen someone else, namely, his nemesis, Artemis Fowl. He had retreated from the war like a fool, and ran away from the situation at hand, instead of facing up to it like a man and choosing to steal her back from under Artemis' very nose. Yet, what had he done? Not only had he run away, but he had _told _Holly to go and pursue her happiness with Artemis. The happiness that rightfully, should have been shared with him. He'd known her longer, for D'Arvit's sake! _Artemis doesn't deserve her, _Trouble thought viciously, animosity overwhelming any rationality he had left.

As his angry thoughts consumed his impressionable mind, Trouble banged furiously on the table, even though there was nobody there. "It's not fair," he hissed to himself, "Holly's supposed to be mine. I will love her like no other, why can't she see that?"

Trouble shakily ran a trembling hand through his hair as his eyes sparked with a newfound fury against the world; against Artemis; against everything that had caused him to feel life was being unfair. In contrast to Holly's new philosophy on life that he was unaware of, he had no cause to feel life was sweet; nor that life had given him a chance to leap with joy and go "Alleluia" like overly eager people. _No._

In fact, life was bitter, and his tongue almost seemed to recoil in horror as it got its first taste of present life. How is it that one person could find joy at the expense of another's misery? It seemed that as if for every one person who embraced life to the fullest of his or her ability, another one out there would be cursing life for the hostile conditions it brought. Trouble felt like one of the unlucky ones. How could life change so fast, that like a whirlwind, it sucked him into a pool of misery when just a moment ago he had optimistic hopes for a better future with Holly? He felt a resentful hatred towards what life had served him on a platter - it was not to his liking, and he had a burning desire to throw the foul dish away and replace it with a more delicious one.

_Well, why not? _New thoughts had popped up in Trouble's head, and he made no effort to suppress them.

_If you can get Artemis out of the picture, Holly will be yours. It's as simple as that, _his sub-conscience taunted him.

_But how do I do that? _he debated.

Seeds of hatred began to sprout in his brain, and a deliciously evil plan began to formulate in his mind.

_It's not over, Artemis. Oh no. It's far from over. _

~*~

****

(Holly's point of view)

"Is that what you actually do for entertainment?" Holly began snidely, a slight teasing grin on her face.

Artemis did not look up from his laptop, absorbed in his task. The screen blinked merrily with every rapid clack of the keyboard. Holly almost felt dizzy as she tried to comprehend what he was typing, and if she could take a stab in the dark, she would guess that it was programming code. At least it looked suspiciously like it.

"If you don't count provoking you and generally being evil, yes," Artemis said sarcastically, while furiously typing away.

Holly grinned. "What a _miserable_ life you lead."

Artemis finally looked up, the cursor on the screen blinking like an eager student as it awaited its next command. His eyes shone with merriment. "Not as miserable as some people I know. Why, after work, they don't even stop by the hottest nightspots in town but end up being annoying company to people who are obviously busy. But then again, I forget. They don't seem to use the eyes given to them, nor the intelligence."

"How very self-centred you are," Holly replied, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes. "It's a wonder how you haven't exploded yet, what with all the inflation your ego is taking."

Artemis grinned. "We are getting nowhere with all this, Holly. Shall I cut straight to the chase, and ask you what I really mean to - that is, if you missed me today?"

"You are being so _nauseatingly_ corny that even if I ran to the bathroom at the amazing speed of light, the short time would not hold back my puke," Holly shot back.

"Your knowledge of science is appalling!" Artemis said theatrically, drawing a large gasp dramatically. "Surely you must know that it is virtually impossible to beat the speed of light?"

Holly yawned. "If you always initiate such boring conversation, it is no wonder you don't have a social life."

Artemis smiled. "I'm not the only one."

"Thank you for that insult. It was rather unoriginal, if you must know."

"You're welcome. _Now_ will you tell me if you missed me at work today?"

"Urrrrgh!" Holly replied, shuddering. "Don't blame me if you suddenly find yourself covered in fairy vomit!"

"Is it magical?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "Does it happen to cure warts or anything of that sort?"

"Why? Do you have a wart?" Holly asked, resisting the urge to chuckle at his ridiculousness.

"Of course not. I pride myself on personal hygiene."

Holly rolled her eyes.

"What, that's not on your list for qualities of a perfect desire?" Artemis grinned.

"Do you seriously think _you're _qualified?" Holly raised an eyebrow, pretended to scrutinize him and then made a big show of gagging.

Artemis pretended to scowl. "You mean I'm not?"

Holly laughed and pondered the question. "Hmm, for a moment there I thought I might have saw something that would have completely proven me wrong, but I just realised it was the misplacement of the light. Sorry, my mistake."

"Ouch," Artemis shut his eyes and pretended to be heartbroken.

Holly chuckled. "Did you _really_ expect me to consider _you _as an example for the perfect desire? Please, place that idea in the 'never-going-to-happen' category of your brain."

Artemis laughed. "You know, you're so evil. A guy could get really offended with the mistreatment you give to his ego."

"I take that as an honour," Holly replied, grinning maliciously.

"If I didn't know you better, I would have said that you are a feminist," Artemis replied, smiling.

"What makes you think you know me so well?" Holly said haughtily.

Artemis raised an eyebrow and pulled her gently to him. "There are a million things I could tell you," he whispered. "Where should I start?"

Holly's heart began to beat erratically. "I don't know," she said lamely, looking up into his cobalt blue eyes.

A slow grin spread lazily over Artemis' face as he used his fingertips to ever so slightly whisk away a strand of hair out of Holly's eyes. The gesture alone was enough to make Holly's heart beat so fast within her ribcage that if it went any quicker, it would explode into nothingness.

"Well...you hate flowers," Artemis whispered, his fingertips running lightly down her cheek, sending shivers of bliss down Holly's spine. "You probably think they're too gushy and a very bad way of showing one's affection."

"Score a point," Holly whispered back, smiling.

Artemis' grin grew, and his hand cupped her chin. "Then for some absurd reason, you think verbal sparring brings us closer together, and you enjoy a battle of wits as much as I do."

"Score another point," Holly whispered, getting lost in his blue eyes.

"You don't trust love to be eternal," Artemis said softly, his fingers tucking Holly's hair behind her ears and sending tingles everywhere in her body. "You're afraid to love, because you don't know if it'll last forever. You've been rejected, hurt, cast away so many times that you don't feel like you have the ability to love anymore."

"How is it that you can just...analyse me like that? It doesn't...it doesn't seem right," Holly said timidly.

Artemis smiled a wistful smile. "If you were left alone almost all your life, it's almost a given skill that you can observe things about people. It's elementary, really. Because people who _do _have friends mostly take things for granted. They don't notice the littlest things about their friends."

Holly's heart ached. The subtlety of his sentence caused her to realise that in front of her stood a man who had been misunderstood all his life, who yearned to break beyond the barriers that had been placed around him by the cruel hands of society. Just because he was a cut above the rest, he was deemed a social liability. Everyone automatically assumed that he was arrogant, haughty, and thought himself to be superior, because of the label that had been given to him; the label of 'genius'. A label that not even he chose. A destiny that he did not even create. Yet, the moment he had come into the world, his talents had been discovered, and he had been shunned by people of his age. Shunned out of jealousy, envy, and the fear of not knowing how to converse with a person of higher intelligence. Yet, underneath the skin, ran the same blood. The blood was still red, like everyone else. Why should people judge a person's character based on what test results showed? Sad to say, Holly had to admit that she had been one of them.

"I'm sorry," she found herself saying. She bit her lip as she watched Artemis' reaction. Confusion clouded those eyes of blue.

"What are you talking about?" Artemis frowned, puzzled.

"I'm sorry for...for not understanding...you," Holly blurted out.

In Artemis' eyes sparked a glint of melancholy. "It's never too late to start now, isn't it?" he almost chuckled to lighten the mood.

Out of instinctive reaction, for the first time, Holly took the initiative to lean forward on her toes and give him the kiss he rightfully deserved for missing out on companionship the past seventeen years of his life; the kiss that would cure the lonely hole in Artemis' heart.

~*~

****

(Trouble's point of view)

"Is it ready?" Trouble kept his voice low, and looked around him cautiously, making sure no one was listening.

"Yes, yes," the man replied eagerly, getting out the object Trouble desired. "Be careful with it."

"I know what to do," Trouble snapped. "Remember, don't tell anyone about this," Trouble said sternly, dropping a bag of gold on the counter.

The man's eyes glinted greedily at the sight of gold. He realised he was being bribed, but wisely kept shut for the benefit of getting the gold. "No, sir. My lips are sealed."

"Good," Trouble said, and for the first time since Holly's rejection, he smiled. A smile of pure malice. It stayed frozen, etched on his face, as he tucked the object in his pocket, turned around and walked away. It was just the beginning.

The seeds of hatred were going to be sown.

**__**

A Very Long Author's Note: 

I'll just take this time to clear a few things up. A few reviewers left queries in their reviews, and here are the answers to them:

booksluver - Yes, Holly is married to Trouble with a daughter, but that's in the year 2013. If you haven't realised, Chapter 2 to the current chapter is a flashback of what happened. The flashback takes place in the year 2006. That's why I asked if anyone read my Author's Note, because you're not the first person to have asked something like this. :) I mentioned the beginning of the flashback in the Author's Note, but I probably should make the transition clearer. Thank you for bringing it up.

tesuka! - Oh well, to each his own. :) Sorry if you found it very corny, I tried not to make it as mushy as possible. Looks like it didn't work -_-'

Blue Yeti - Thank you for your critical comments as usual, and NO, you're not too analytical for your own good. I apologise if some parts are unrealistic because I don't have the first and second books of Artemis Fowl to refer to. I lent them to my friends, hoping they would be converted. ^_^ Anyway, you asked how I was writing this story, and I actually have the plot all mapped out, and divided into their rightful chapters already. I have written a brief summary of what happens in each chapter to remind myself of what I am going to write. It also prevents me from getting writer's block. :) However, sometimes, new ideas hit me as I write the chapter, so they end up getting longer. For example, Chapter 12 and 13 were originally supposed to be one chapter, but because I had more ideas as I went along writing it, I was forced to divide it into two so that it wouldn't be too long. :) That's about it, really.

To the rest of the reviewers, thank you once again for your helpful encouragement. It touches me to know that there are actually people out there who appreciate this story. I would like to leave a warning for all anti-Holly/Artemis readers or anti-romance in general. :) There isn't going to be much action/adventure after Chapter 13 anymore, since Holly's father is already dead. The chapters that follow will centre around the relationship between Artemis and Holly as well as Trouble, so if you don't like that sort of thing, then I suggest you don't read it. Unless you have an urge to flame me, of course. :) And be patient, people, the reason why Holly married Trouble will be revealed in due time. (Hehehe...) 


	15. Slipping Away

**__**

Author's Note: Just need to clear one point nagging away at my mind, and you can get on with the story without me disturbing you. :)

animefanatic07 - Holly's marriage to Trouble is mentioned in the very first chapter, so if you've forgotten, you may go back and read it again to refresh your memory. I'm sorry if I've spoiled things for you by mentioning the marriage in the Author's Notes that appear later on. [Why didn't you remember?! Grrr...:)]

Thanks to the reviewers: Hermione Weasley, Skye, Red Moon Kree, flamaria13, Pink-Cherry-Blossom, Rhapsody, Butler, Misti, Magic Girl2, Gliniel, Artemis Fowl the Second and Angel of the Storms. Keep on reviewing! 

__

Chapter Fifteen: Slipping Away

****

(Trouble's point of view)

Morning

Chuckles erupted from the dark figure's mouth as his shaking fingers moved meticulously over seemingly porcelain skin, hazel eyes smiling up at him.

"It won't be long until I have you," he whispered to himself, hardly daring to contain his excitement as he whispered to the photograph, a photograph of their graduating class from the LEP Academy, his heart sinking for just a moment that he did not have the real thing just yet. How unfair it was that he could see but not feel. He could breathe her in but not have her by his side. Rage began to well up inside him like a simmering stew, threatening to spill out of him and overwhelming anyone who came near him. He tried to control it by consoling himself that soon, all he ever wanted would be his.

The figure turned around to stand under the light, and his face was illuminated just then, revealing to the world that this man was Trouble, and the picture he held in his hand was of Holly. His facial features twisted as he presented a menacing smile to anyone who was watching, as if challenging them to ask why he was so happy.

Trouble whistled to himself as he busied himself around the house, pretending all was well, that he was going about his usual routine. At that precise moment, the doorbell rang, startling Trouble. He composed himself and opened the door carefully, his brown eyes roaming the area outside like a curious child.

"Oh, it's you. Come in," Trouble said pleasantly, and gave his best smile. _Everything is going according to plan, _he thought gleefully, and resisted the urge to rub his hands together like a scientist who had just accomplished a feat.

The hazel-eyed auburn-haired beauty, also known as Holly, stepped in quickly, not noticing anything strange about Trouble. But of course. She wasn't meant to notice anything different about him. He prided himself on being such a good actor. Perhaps Underwood (the fairy equivalent of Hollywood) could now offer him a role.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," Holly asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

Trouble almost laughed and thought, _If only she knew. _But instead, he tried a small smile, halfway between the expression of I'm-feeling-fine and semi-depression. "Everything's all right, I'm not going to fall apart."

"So you have...you have no qualms about me seeing Artemis?" Holly asked nervously.

"None at all," Trouble said lightly, then something grew in his eyes as he looked at her and he dropped his tone to a more husky one, "Although I do _regret..._" he stepped closer to her and brushed a strand of hair out of her eye, "not having made a faster move." Trouble almost sighed with bliss. Being this close to her made vengeance all the more sweet.

Holly stepped back, clearly alarmed, and Trouble mentally cursed himself for giving in too quickly and allowing his hidden feelings for Holly to show, therefore causing her now to be on her guard. He could almost see the defence walls around Holly build up as she regarded him cautiously, her eyes glinting with her trademark don't-mess-with-me attitude.

Trouble immediately transformed back into the Trouble everyone knew - the calm, dependable Trouble. He managed a small grin at the defensive Holly, and spoke, an even note in his voice. "I'm thinking of holding a little reunion party actually, Holly. You know, just the six of us - you and I, Commander Root, Butler, and Fowl boy."

"That's...that's great," Holly replied, visibly relaxing, but still keeping a safe distance from Trouble.

"We haven't been together like this for quite some time," Trouble went on. "So maybe we could have it this evening, at seven, since it's a holiday. Just a small one, and you could bring Artemis along."

Holly smiled just a bit, contemplating the idea in her mind. _Who knows what _else _she's contemplating, _Trouble thought, as he waited for her answer.

"Count me in," she said, smiling.

"That's good, I was hoping you would agree," Trouble said sincerely, the plan once again unfolding in his mind. "I was hoping you wouldn't forget a friend like me."

"With a face like that, of _course _I wouldn't forget you," Holly laughed.

Trouble frowned. _Was Holly teasing, or was that a genuine insult? _he pondered. _I can never get Holly's sarcasm._

Holly seemed to realise his confusion, and stopped chuckling. "Relax, I was just kidding."

"Oh, I - I see," Trouble replied, trying a laugh. It sounded fake.

An awkward silence hung in the air between them, and Trouble felt like a failure again.

"I guess I should get going now," Holly said, turning around and walking towards the door.

"Holly, wait," Trouble found himself calling.

"Yes?" Holly turned around, her hazel eyes looking into his brown ones.

Unable to restrain himself, he strode forward quickly and grazed her lips lightly with his. Trouble noticed Holly's stunned hazel eyes widening, unsure of how to react. Guilt and pleasure seared through the fusion of both lips - pleasure on Trouble's side, guilt and horror on Holly's side. She pulled away, shocked, her hazel eyes searching for an answer in his brown ones. Instinctively, she ran her fingers over her lips, as if trying to erase the memory of the kiss away.

Trouble smiled in spite of Holly's astonishment. "Sweet," was all he commented, before sending Holly out of the door and closing it behind her, keeping the pleasant memory locked away in his heart.

~*~

****

(Holly's point of view)

Holly found herself preoccupied with the kiss Trouble had given her. _What had possessed him to do that? _she found herself asking, not noticing the world around her as she contemplated Trouble's motives.

_I thought he said he's over me, and is getting on with life all right, _Holly thought.

_No, he didn't say that, you nincompoop, you assumed! _her sub-conscience argued back.

While Holly tried to sort out the confused emotions ravaging her soul, she crashed into something solid, and got quite a shock when that something solid spoke back.

"I might have known it was you," someone drawled sarcastically, and Holly shifted her focus to the person. Artemis, but of course. She tried a smile.

_Can he tell that I've just been kissed by someone else? _Holly thought frantically.

"And why is that? Because my beauty is so mesmerising that you've got it imprinted in your head?" Holly replied back, with an equal amount of sarcasm.

"You flatter yourself so, Captain Short. Don't you realise that the only reason why you're an LEP officer is because all the other companies took a look at your face and fired you on the spot?" Artemis grinned, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. Yet, they both knew he meant otherwise. They both knew what it was exactly that he thought of her. Thoughts of Trouble lay forgotten as Holly launched herself fully into the battle of wits.

"How remarkably shallow you are!" Holly exclaimed, exaggerating for effect. "To think that a genius placed so much emphasis on looks."

"So you agree that I'm a genius, then?" Artemis challenged, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose I should be flattered by your flat-out confession, but to your misfortune, I find that a compliment coming from an intellectually-challenged being such as you is really not to my liking."

"What a show of arrogance!" Holly exclaimed, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes. "No wonder nobody likes you."

"Now, we both know that's not true, isn't it?" Artemis replied, smiling. "So now that we've come to the most _enjoyable _and_ mushy _part of our conversation, I suppose I should whine and ask where you've been and complain that I've missed you like crazy."

"Oh, my _pleasure._ Go ahead, and when you're done, I'll give you a lollipop to cheer you up," Holly chuckled.

"But surely you must know that lollipops aren't my favourite source of comfort? I'm so disappointed in you, Captain Short. If I were to give you a test on how well you know me, you'd score a miserable zero," Artemis said.

"I agree, how _unacceptable! _I suppose I should ask for your forgiveness and say I love you."

"I love you too."

"Urrrrgh," Holly pretended to throw up, and Artemis grinned. Both of their faces were flushed with success at their own ability to throw each other off. Artemis' grin was infectious, and soon enough, Holly found herself smiling too. She had also realised that Artemis had managed to distract her from her thoughts for a whole minute. Amazing.

"Before you spew out any more corny comments," Holly began, "Trouble's invited us for a reunion gathering at his house tonight, at seven. He'd like us to come along."

"So there _is _an 'us', eh?" Artemis challenged, his blue eyes twinkling with merriment.

"_Don't_ start that lovey-dovey stuff again, my stomach really can't take it anymore," Holly warned, but allowing a small smile to tug at her lips. They both knew she was just joking. "Has Butler gone back to Fowl Manor?"

A shadow passed over Artemis' face as he looked at his shoes and began quietly, "Yes, I neglected to tell you, he's gone back."

Immediately, Holly was reminded of the impending departure of Artemis. He couldn't stay here forever, that much she knew. "What are your parents going to say when they don't find you there?"

Artemis waved the idea off. "I've told Butler to tell my parents I've gone on a skiing trip with my school."

"But you can't use that excuse forever -"

"Holly, let's not talk about it."

"Okay."

Artemis frowned, and the magical mood of that morning had suddenly disappeared because of Holly's questions. Holly almost hated herself for ruining the mood, but all her thoughts were banished once again as Artemis spoke.

"You know...I don't quite trust Trouble," he said, his forehead creasing as he began to worry. "He's a sneaky, devious one."

"Don't say that," Holly said, an unexplained guilt throbbing away merrily in her heart as the kiss Trouble planted on her floated back to her mind and burned itself there. Although she hadn't participated in it, she still felt like she had been unfaithful to Artemis.

_Don't be ridiculous. You're not married to Artemis or anything, _Holly thought.

"It's just this inkling I've got," Artemis went on. "Like he's up to something."

"He's our friend, why would he harm us?" Holly said impatiently, wishing Artemis would just stop talking about Trouble and change the subject. It was making her feel very uneasy.

"I don't know, I can't quite put my finger on it either," Artemis said.

"Then stop talking about it."

"Are you all right, Holly? You've been quite jittery ever since you went out. Either that or you're lost in your own world."

Holly was thrown back by the sudden observation. "I'm fine!" she squeaked. She knew she was a very bad liar, and it showed in the way her tone would change if she tried to cover something up. Artemis seemed to know too, but he didn't pursue it.

"All right," was all he said.

~*~

****

(Trouble's point of view)

Night

Trouble whistled merrily to himself as he laid out the cutlery and food. Five tall wine glasses already stood silently on the table, and they gave one the impression that they seemed to watching Trouble carefully as his face was reflected in the crystal that made them. Trouble scrutinized the place, before picking up the graduation photo and placing it in his pocket for luck. He resisted the temptation to run his fingers over it once more, just to imagine the feel of Holly's porcelain skin under his fingers. At that moment, the doorbell rang, and it was Commander Root.

"Mud Boy and Holly ain't here yet?" Commander Root asked, taking a seat.

"Speak of the devil," Trouble replied, as the doorbell rang once more, and Trouble opened it up to see Holly and Artemis standing. Just meeting the cool blue of Artemis' eyes gave Trouble the urge to punch him, but he bravely restrained it for Holly's benefit. He noticed Holly avert her eyes away from him, probably because she still hadn't forgotten what he'd done to her just this morning. He directed what he hoped was a seductive leer towards her. After this, she would no longer yearn for Artemis, but stick by his side forever like someone had sealed her there with glue.

Dinner was an uneventful affair. At least, for now. Trouble watched the clock rigidly, because timing was a very important factor in his plan. Root was ever the boisterous one as usual, entertaining Holly with his animated jokes. He had certainly livened up a bit more after the ordeal, no longer being an insufferable commander who bossed everyone about like they were the dirt on the sole of his shoe.

Trouble noticed that Artemis was regarding him intently. _Obviously, I haven't gained his trust yet, _Trouble thought, an equal amount of animosity showing in his eyes. Trouble's eyes suddenly shifted in expression as he covered up his hatred for Artemis with a more suitably pleasant look. _Don't let your hatred get in the way of your plan now, Trouble, _he chided himself. _After this, it'll be all over, and then you can hate Artemis all you want._

He tried to initiate polite conversation with Artemis, trying to treat him like a friend. "I assume Butler's gone home, Artemis?" Trouble said agreeably.

"I thought it would have been obvious by now," Artemis drawled sarcastically, obviously regarding him with contempt and distrust.

Holly seemed to feel the cloud of tension that hovered over the two men, and turned her attention from Commander Root. She put on a smile on her face and decidedly began stuffing Artemis with food so as to distract him. It worked, and Artemis turned his attention to Holly instead.

"Does this mean that you need your perfect desire to be overweight?" he said sarcastically.

"Were you implying that you were my perfect desire? I'm horrified," Holly replied, evoking laughs from Root and Trouble, but the laughs from Trouble were obviously hypocritical. Inside, he was seething with anger as the two showed perfect camaraderie and were able to exchange words to compliment the other's teasing.

Dinner went on, with a merrier mood now, and the evening began to grow into darkness.

Trouble's attention shifted back to the clock, which now read eight o'clock at night. Trouble smiled to himself. _Time to execute my plan, _he thought devilishly, as he got up from his chair and excused himself. The other three lay oblivious to the scheme that would soon unfold, instead choosing to indulge themselves in the pleasantries of this world while a bitter man hid in the shadowed depths of the kitchen, resenting their laughter and happiness which were void from his life. With shaking hands, he put his plan into action, and after getting ready, he went out again into the dining room in which hung an air of mirth and hilarity, the sweet components of life.

"Need a refill of wine, People?" Trouble asked pleasantly, and Commander Root laughed at the double meaning of his sentence - People could also stand for fairies.

"No thanks, I feel like an overblown balloon," Commander Root replied, but Holly jostled him in the side.

"Oh, come on, be a good sport, Commander! Might as well get blown up," she chuckled in a girlish manner, and Trouble realised that Holly hadn't been able to hold her liquor well. She was already half-tipsy. Only Artemis had the sense to leave his drink alone, and watch Holly with amusement.

"That's two, how about you, Artemis?"

Artemis frowned at the politeness directed towards him, but he obviously decided to forego his suspicions for once and indulge in a trust he had never been able to. "That's all right, I haven't touched mine."

Trouble insisted. "Oh, but you must drink some. Let me get a new glass for you."

"No thanks," Artemis said quietly, his blue eyes defiant.

Just then, Holly elbowed Artemis in the side, unable to keep her flailing arms in control as the alcohol drenched her brain. "Oh, Artemis, join in the fun!"

"I'd refrain, before I end up punching everyone like you are right now, Holly," Artemis said, smiling gently at her.

Commander Root laughed while Holly sulked, the alcohol having adverse effects on her common sense. "Well, if you don't like wine, you could always have a glass of water. Won't want you getting dehydrated now," Root said wisely. "Anyway! Indulge in Trouble's hospitality for a while!"

"Exactly what Root says. I wouldn't want you dying on me because you had nothing to drink," Trouble agreed, an ironical smile twisting his face. Demented thoughts began to appear in his mind.

"No, you wouldn't want that," Artemis said reluctantly, as if he knew what Trouble was thinking. "I think I'll have a glass of water, then," he said slowly, and cautiously, as if Trouble might do anything to his drink.

"No problem."

The glasses clinked together as he gathered them up, and refilled them with new drinks. The three outside were blissfully unaware of what was now happening in the kitchen. They dissolved into their own world of heavenly stupor and did not realise Trouble had come out of the kitchen with their refilled drinks until he placed them in front of them.

Trouble watched intently as Artemis drank his water. With the maniac glint in his eye, one would be assuming that any moment now, Artemis would suddenly have boils erupting all over his face and cause him a gory sort of death, or his skin would shrivel up and wilt away as a dehydration potion sucked the life out of his body. Or Artemis would suddenly lose control of his sanity and plunge a knife through his stomach, or keel over, foaming at the mouth, or suddenly cease to exist and disappear into nothingness. 

But moments went by, and nothing happened. Nothing happened at all. But of course, who knew what Trouble had done except himself? Sometimes it was scarier this way, for one was left in the darkness as to whether he had tampered with the drinks at all...or if he had decided to abandon the plan he so desired to carry out.

"That was good water," Artemis said nonchalantly.

Trouble chuckled. "I'm sure it was."

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

After dinner

Late at night

Holly murmured something incoherent as Artemis gathered the limp body up in his arms and prepared to leave Trouble's house. Halfway through dinner, her head had fallen onto her food as the alcohol overpowered her brain. Trouble had carried her over to the couch. She was fast asleep, of course, the alcohol having had a huge impact on her brain. He almost chuckled as he looked down at her slumbering form, wondering why Holly sometimes abandoned all rationality and took up a challenge she knew she couldn't overcome. She had tried to keep her alcohol in check, but eventually, it had consumed her altogether. _Must be a headstrong personality trait, _Artemis thought wryly as he tried to answer his own question.

He felt Trouble tapping him on the shoulder from behind, and he turned around, startled.

"I want to talk to you," was all he said. Just six words. 

Artemis felt compelled to hear what he had to say, and put Holly's sleeping form down onto a couch as he stood in front of Trouble and listened.

It didn't take long. Just about a minute or two. Yet, it left Artemis with the most hollow and empty feeling in his heart ever imaginable.

~*~

****

(Still Artemis' point of view)

Late at night

Holly's house

Artemis shuffled into Holly's house slowly, feeling a dazed horror from within him unfold. His heart was numb without emotion, and Holly hardly weighed anything as his brain still tried to register what Trouble had told him. He couldn't feel his feet touching the floor, and felt only a slight nausea as the news came back to him. With each step he took into the house, he felt himself distancing away from the world, so much so that if he were to walk any further, he would disappear entirely.

Everything was so robotic in the way he moved now: the steps to Holly's room, the placing of her sleeping form on the bed, the blankets drawn over her to keep her warm. For a moment he watched the serenity emanate from the sleeping Holly, feeling a fierce jealousy towards her, that she could still remain so peaceful when his own brain was clouded in turmoil.

His first emotion towards what Trouble had said was disbelief. Then when he realised that Trouble had in fact been speaking the truth and there was no way to reject it, a rage had begun to stir deep down inside of him, and he had an insane urge to deck the living daylights out of Trouble, or to tear something apart, to blow something up just to release the fury within. Yet, he had held himself back, because no amount of anger could change the way things were. The third feeling, helplessness, had then set in. He was a genius, damn it, he should have a solution to this, yet, he found no answers. All he could do now was lament, regret, feel repentant.

"I know now what I must do," Artemis had said to Trouble, his head feeling dizzy from the news, and his blue eyes briefly registered the menacing, victorious glee in Trouble's brown eyes before he shut himself out from the world, preferring to dwell in his own sorrow. "I shall leave."

And leave he would. He shut his eyes, refusing to feel any more last regrets. He opened those blue eyes just once more, and the tormenting image of Holly came back to him, as he watched her; so vulnerable, so innocent, so helpless. He knew she wasn't the fearless girl everyone knew, and for that, he worried. But too late for worries now. His heart was dead, empty, lifeless, stabbed by the piercing words of Trouble.

Artemis looked at the sleeping Holly one last time before he gently ran a hand over her lightly tousled reddish-brown hair, and pressed his lips to her forehead. For a moment, he heard her stir, murmur something that vaguely sounded like "Artemis", as if trying to call him back, before he shook his head and chided himself for imagining things. His hand lingered on her forehead for a moment, a sign of affection, before it trailed off, leaving just a burning path of remembrance on her face.

It was time to let go, and only the night wind mourned Artemis' exit as Holly slept on, oblivious to everything.


	16. Morbid Depression

__

Chapter Sixteen: Morbid Depression

****

A moan escaped Holly's mouth as the ghosts of yesterday's events swarmed around in her mind, pinning Holly's heavy head to the bed, not allowing her to get up, as if punishing her for the excessive amount of fairy alcohol she had had at Trouble's last night. Although this fairy alcohol was different than what the Mud Men drank, (it had been specially tampered with to suit fairies who needed a quick drink to drown their sorrows, yet not completely destroy them unlike those who indulged in the Mud People's alcoholic beverages aboveground), Holly had never been close friends with alcohol, and it clearly did not want anything to do with her either, as her body lay stiffly on the bed like it had been nailed to wood. Her mouth felt as if it had been lined with fuzzy cheese spread, and her limbs seemed to weigh about a ton each as she struggled to lift them up, but to no avail.

Holly's eyes squinted as they fluttered open briefly. She groaned again as she muttered something unintelligible and buried her face under the pillow. Her head seemed to be full of liquid as her usually-clear thoughts seemed to have drowned in the jumbled mass of her brain. She didn't feel like getting up. Not today. Not tomorrow, either. Not _ever_, she thought tiredly, the throbbing pain in her head emphasizing her answer. Her body ached with exhaustion as she tried to lift a hand to her cheek, feeling how flushed it was.

_I wonder why, _she thought vaguely, drifting in and out of consciousness, her head dizzy with the after-effects of alcohol. Resisting the temptation to succumb to the welcoming arms of dreamland, Holly tried to push herself off the bed, but her body wasn't cooperating. She rolled off the bed lazily without thinking, and crashed into a heap on the floor below, making things worse than they already were. Holly groaned as her head began to feel as if it were being squeezed in a giant nutcracker, and it began to spin more vehemently than before, sending the room in a whirl of messy colour.

Immediately, all that moving caused a surge of nausea to wash over her as she felt the contents of her stomach rising up her throat. Struggling to get to her feet, Holly's legs had all the strength of cooked spaghetti as she stumbled weakly to the bathroom, barely managing to get her head over the toilet bowl in time before the queasiness caught up with her and she found herself vomiting everything out, in heave after sickening heave.

The putrid stench of vomit filled the tiny bathroom and Holly's head began to spin once more. Crawling on her knees, she flushed the toilet hurriedly, and tried to stand, before the room started to spin around her and she collapsed on legs that could hardly support her. 

She felt terrible, and she found herself calling out for Artemis as the stench of vomit overwhelmed her and she felt nauseous again. She hated that she was so dependent on him, that she needed to see him everyday, that she was no longer herself. Yet, Holly chided herself, hateful as these new traits were, what could she do about them? They all came naturally, and she was powerless to stop them. Just like she was powerless to stop the way she felt for Artemis; powerless to show that love in quirky ways like sarcastic remarks.

Holly indistinctly heard someone knocking on her door as she stood up unsteadily, trying to ignore the dizziness in her head, and wobbled over to her bedroom, without energy to start the day. _Next time, _Holly thought wryly, _don't ever drink alcohol. _Holly clutched the doorknob, trying to steady herself as she ventured out into the living room, opening the door before sinking down into a couch, dog-tired.

"Holly? What's up that you can't even perform such trivial things like opening the door?"

For a moment in Holly's alcohol-induced brain, she thought it was Artemis, before she realised that there was something different in the voice somehow. And in the forced sarcasm too. Artemis never had a kind of forced sarcasm.

"Shut up Trouble," Holly moaned. "I feel pooped."

"Well, what a nice way to greet someone who's just doing his routine friendly afternoon check-up on a dear friend," Trouble said, closing the door and plopping himself down onto a seat beside her.

Holly was in no mood to play along. "Where's Artemis?" was the first thing she murmured, shutting her eyes. It was a good thing she did, so that her eyes did not register the brief flash of intense jealousy that crossed Trouble's eyes.

"Let's not talk about him," he said curtly, sounding angry at the mention of Artemis' name. Holly was distracted and did not answer, feeling a surge of nausea rise up to meet her and suddenly finding the willpower to dash to the bathroom, she vomited again for the second time.

Trouble pinched his nose as he came in after her. "You don't seem all right, Holly," he said worriedly.

"I thought the bathroom was supposed to be _private,_" Holly said sardonically, her stomach not feeling any better.

Trouble ignored her sarcasm. "Hangover, Holly?" he asked simply.

Holly nodded weakly.

"Come on, Holly. You're in no state to work today. I'll help you to the bedroom."

"Don't rape me," Holly murmured dryly.

Trouble chuckled. "I won't, tempting as the idea may be."

"Pervert."

Trouble was stumped for a reply as he helped Holly to her bedroom. _Getting used to this sarcasm stuff _is _hard work, _Trouble thought. _Later on I'll have to pop over to the LEP to inform them that Holly and I won't be working tonight. _He drew the blankets over Holly as he placed her reverently on the bed. Looking down at her feeble form, he thought again, _I need to take care of her, now that Artemis isn't around._ He almost chuckled at the thought, but luckily, he stopped himself before Holly could sense anything fishy going on. 

He got out a towel and ran it under warm water. Wringing the liquid out of the towel, he placed the damp, warm cloth on Holly's head. Holly was sleeping again, obviously deciding to give in to the temptations of slumber. She seemed to be muttering something constantly, before she decided to shut up, and then after a minute or two she'd start up again.

Trouble kneeled by her side and whispered in her ear, "I'll be back soon, Holly," before he left the room and walked out of the front door, jogging towards the LEP Building to apply for leave tonight.

~*~

****

Night

Trouble had taken out a chair and kept company by Holly's side all evening long. Feeling the tendrils of sleep coming to get him as well, he had no qualms as he succumbed to them, snoozing briefly as he lay back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. His pointy ears briefly heard a stir and he woke up, realising that Holly was up and awake, and she had been looking curiously at him.

_Probably curious at to why I'm here, _he thought, sitting up and smiling at her.

"Feeling better already?" he asked.

"I'm not as weak as you think," she retorted, sitting up, the blanket forgotten, the towel sliding off her forehead. Trouble caught the falling cloth expertly in his hands, fiddling nervously with it as he continued a conversation with her.

Holly looked around her. "What time is it?" she asked, confused.

"Roughly about eight, I should say."

"Has Artemis been here?" Holly asked softly, directing a questioning look at him.

Trouble refused to let guilt ravage the depths of his heart, and briefly felt his heart turning into steel as he replied coldly, "Artemis isn't here anymore, Holly."

Trouble saw Holly give a visible jolt. Confusion rose in her eyes as a desperate need to find out what happened overwhelmed her voice, "Why?! Where is he?!"

Trouble pretended to look pained by the whole situation. _Better to sympathize with Holly, Trouble, _he told himself. He tried to put a quavering note in his voice as he looked away, presumably as if he was hurt, and said, "It would be best if I didn't tell you, Holly."

Holly was beside herself as she jumped out of bed and shook him roughly. She wasn't an LEP officer for nothing. She was as assertive as they could get. "Trouble...Trouble! Look at me, D'Arvit! Tell me!"

"No, Holly."

"I have a right to know," she hissed, losing all patience, fire present in her hazel eyes.

Trouble pretended to hesitate, like any potential news-breaker would. He turned slowly to face her, keeping his act convincing. He managed to get a sombre look in his eye before dropping his tone to a low whisper and beginning solemnly, "Holly...I don't know if it's the right time to be telling you."

"I'm _fine, _D'Arvit! Where's Artemis?"

"Like I said. He's gone."

"Gone? _Gone? _What's _that _supposed to mean?!"

"Exactly like what it means. He's gone, Holly; he's left, departed, whatever you want to call it. Not in a dying sort of way. What I mean is that he's just....gone. He's not here in Haven anymore."

"You're kidding."

"I kid you not."

"Why on _earth _did he leave?" Holly whispered furiously, hurt and disbelief etched out in her hazel eyes.

A knife twisted around in Trouble's heart at the sight of Holly's misery. But what had to be done had been done, it was too late for regrets now. And in this way, he was a step closer to achieving what he had always wanted. "I don't know, Holly. I tried looking for him at the Honeybee Inn, where he usually is. But he'd checked out."

At this, Holly became visibly agitated. She lost control and flailed her arms furiously at the news. Her voice rose to a desperate, pleading sort of tone as she said, "Did you check any other inns? There are a thousand or more in Haven! He could be in any one of those! Come on, Trouble, let's go look for him, he must be one of them, he just checked out of Honeybee because he had had enough of those provocative -"

Trouble caught Holly's arms and tried to calm her down. "Stop it, Holly! It's no use!"

" - ladies, he's much too civilised for all of them, that's why he checked out -"

"Holly -"

" - he just can't have gone back, I just saw him last night and he showed no signs of it -"

"Holly -"

" - it's not like him not to say goodbye either, I mean, I know he can be cold and all but it's just -"

"HOLLY!" Trouble yelled furiously to get her attention. Holly shut up right away, staring at him with bewildered eyes.

"Holly, listen to me. It's no use checking all of the inns when you know he's probably not going to be in any of them. I mean, think of it this way - if he wanted you to find him, he would have told us that he was checking out of Honeybee Inn and was checking in somewhere else. The fact is that he didn't. He doesn't want you anymore. He's gone, Holly. Accept it."

"Shut up," Holly hissed furiously, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as hidden agreements that Trouble was right began to sink into her heart. "You don't know anything."

"Oh, Holly..." Trouble began, kissing her hand lightly to try and cheer her up. "You're the one who's clueless. Do you remember yesterday's reunion party, in which you got horribly drunk? Did you know who carried you back here because you had already passed out at my house?"

"Artemis?" Holly answered curtly, her heart obviously starting to harden because of the fact that Artemis had left her alone again. "I vaguely remember the feel of his arms -"

Trouble began to weave his web of lies. "No, Holly, that's where you're wrong." He hoped Holly couldn't tell through his facade. "It was _me_, Holly. It wasn't Artemis. You know why? After the party, he pulled me aside to talk to me."

"And what did he say? That he was such a jerk?" Holly said bitterly, her heart closing like it had done many times over the years. To her mother's death, Riley's rejection, her father's evil, and then now to Artemis. He had failed her, like so many had done before. And to think she had wanted to believe in him. She had wanted to believe that love was eternal. Now she knew what an idiot she had been to believe that it would have lasted forever.

"He told me how he didn't feel like he belonged here. And not even you could help him feel like he belonged. You see, Holly, he wasn't really in love with you."

"What do you _mean?_" Holly hissed scathingly, feeling cheated.

"You see, Holly, he's just a lonely guy. He hasn't had a girlfriend either. He wondered what the experience would feel like, and when you came along, he felt that you were perfect for this experiment. You were all..._vulnerable, _much unlike your usual fearless self, and so _desperate _for someone to cling on to while you tried to sort out your supposedly insane mind. All he did was be that someone you needed, and you fell for it quicker than I can say D'Arvit."

"That's....that's not true," Holly said defensively, shaking her head as she backed away from Trouble. "You're lying!"

Trouble closed his eyes, pretending to be hurt by what Holly had said. "I tell you this because we're friends, Holly, and I don't want you to go away with a false impression of Artemis, when I know he's such a _snake!_ He just wanted a bit of fun, Holly, now that he's bored with you he's gone home like the coward he is."

"Artemis...Artemis would never do that," Holly said fiercely, preventing Trouble from killing off the final spark in Holly and Artemis' relationship that had bound them together. She knew it was childish to hold on to such a fragile bit of hope, but she wasn't ready to let go. Not yet. Not ever. She had given so many pieces of her heart to Artemis, surely he would have appreciated it? He couldn't just take her as a bit of fun!

__

A slow grin spread lazily over Artemis' face as he used his fingertips to ever so slightly whisk away a strand of hair out of Holly's eyes. The gesture alone was enough to make Holly's heart beat so fast within her ribcage that if it went any quicker, it would explode into nothingness.

Holly shut her eyes, holding on to that last memory, refusing to let Trouble's words penetrate her and tear her heart apart. It had shed enough blood over the years, surely it could be spared this time?

"He's done it, Holly. Look at you. You've fallen into his trap. And now he's left you cold," Trouble went on relentlessly.

__

Artemis grinned. "We are getting nowhere with all this, Holly. Shall I cut straight to the chase, and ask you what I really mean to - that is, if you missed me today?"

"You are being so nauseatingly _corny that even if I ran to the bathroom at the amazing speed of light, the short time would not hold back my puke," Holly shot back._

"Your knowledge of science is appalling!" Artemis said theatrically, drawing a large gasp dramatically. "Surely you must know that it is virtually impossible to beat the speed of light?"

Holly yawned. "If you always initiate such boring conversation, it is no wonder you don't have a social life."

Artemis smiled. "I'm not the only one."

Holly held fast to her memories, until they spun around her head so fast they were just as blur. _Did Artemis mean them? Did Artemis mean any of it? _Holly thought helplessly, tears cascading down her face. As she debated the answer, the thoughts seemed to carry whips of their own, lashing out at her head and tormenting her as the bittersweet memories flew around her head, making it a riot of scars. They seemed to be punishing her for being so gullible. 

And oh, thinking of Artemis was painful. It was painful because he might have cheated her. She felt humiliated. She felt naked, because Artemis had taken all of her pride and feelings away from her. She felt she had been stripped down into absolutely nothing.

"He's made you a fool. Holly, wake up from the fantasy you're in because it's not real! Artemis never loved you!" Trouble shouted.

Holly snapped. "Shut up! Get out! Get out! Get out of my house right now! Get out this instant!" she yelled, tears blinding her vision as she shoved Trouble out of the door, slamming it behind her, locking it, and cradling her head in her arms, sobbing. 

The memories continued to torture her mind, as her heart followed suit and old wounds were re-opened. The wounds that Artemis had healed, with his peculiar affection towards her. Now that he had gone, they re-opened, and were made worse by the fact that the healer of her heart had just cheated her of the very feelings she gave to him. You could have stabbed her heart repeatedly and Holly would feel no more pain as she did now.

_I think I have never been so pathetic, _Holly thought miserably, clutching her thin legs against her chest protectively, wanting to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible. Now that Artemis had ripped away her fearless facade, she felt she had no right to face the world. She felt defeated. She felt as if she had no more energy to fight anything else out there.

All she wanted to do was disappear. Disappear so no one could hurt her ever again.

A lone tear stained the wooden floorboards of Holly's bedroom as she failed to wipe it away from her face. She was all alone now. Defenceless.

~*~

****

Three days later

"Holly, open up, please."

Holly did not budge, and stared blankly ahead at the space in front of her. How overwhelming.

"Holly! It's been three days...you can't be like this forever!"

Holly did not reply, and chose to be silent. She had lapsed into morbid depression. She would not come out, would not talk, would not let anyone come in. For the world did not deserve to take one look at this miserable creature, and then shake their heads in pity. This was her punishment. This was her punishment for being so naive. Her heart would no longer open itself to the world. It would no longer be a warm, affectionate organ.

"I don't even know if you're dead or alive, D'Arvit!"

Following that statement, several sharp raps rained on the door, but Holly ignored them. Her ears seemed to be loafing on their job as they effectively let the sounds around her just wash over her, leaving her in her own world. And all she thought about when she was in this world, was how Artemis had hurt her. And how she had been so brainless to believe his lies. It was a cycle of torture that would never end, and Holly wallowed deep in her sorrow, believing it was all her own fault. She almost hated Artemis for destroying her this way, but hated herself even more for allowing herself to lose her heart to him.

"Holly...." the voice was losing patience.

Holly continued to stare ahead of her.

Behind the door, an exasperated Trouble turned to Commander Root, who was standing next to him. "You see what I mean? How do I get her to come out? It's infuriating! She'll starve to death at this rate!"

Commander Root nodded grimly in agreement, and balled his hands into fists. "What I would love to do now is to give Artemis a good kick up the -"

"I wish I had never told her about Artemis!" Trouble cried.

Commander Root sighed. "I beg to differ. I'd rather she know about the truth behind Artemis now rather than she live her life day by day, her ears foolishly perking up at the sound of any sarcastic comment. Ultimately, it would destroy her."

"I reckon both ways she would be destroyed. It's just that the truth's a faster way," Trouble said sadly.

"Cheer up, old chap. Maybe we could break this door down."

"You reckon?" Trouble said, missing the pun.

Root caught it, and chuckled as he began lamely, "Yeah, of course I'm Recon. Come on, on the count of three."

"I think we'd better not. We might dislocate a shoulder," Trouble said wisely.

"That would be mildly putting it," Root admitted.

"So we're back to the shouting," Trouble sighed, and began to bang furiously on the door. "HOLLY!"

"Here we go again," Root grumbled.

Suddenly, the door was flung open, and Trouble fell into the room in surprise. He heard Root laughing behind him as he crashed into the room face-down, registering the pain and going "Ouch" before he looked up and saw a hazel-eyed beauty walking away from him, and then settling down again in the same corner, looking into the space beyond.

"Holly?" he tried tentatively, getting up and dusting himself off. She didn't reply.

He walked over to her and seated himself beside her, trying for small talk. Root had wisely left them to their own privacy.

"Underground to Holly," he tried lamely, waving a hand in front of her. 

No reply, no movement.

"So you let me in. Why the sudden decision?"

"You were getting on my nerves," Holly replied, the answer short and clipped. She was still detached from the outside world.

"So I take that as a cue to shut up?"

"Please do," Holly said scathingly, not even looking at him.

Trouble sighed. "Why are you doing this, Holly?"

She didn't reply.

Trouble felt guilty about Holly's misery, but at least the obstacle in his way had been removed. "I'm really sorry about Artemis, but I felt you needed to know," Trouble said hesitantly. Suddenly, Holly turned to look at him, and before he could do anything, she had lunged forward and claimed his lips with hers. The impact had sent him lying on the ground, and relishing in the fact that Holly was kissing him for some absurd reason, Trouble delighted in the sweetness of it all before rational thought occupied his mind and he pushed her away, his heart beating erratically.

"What are you, _crazy_ or something?!" Trouble blurted out, trying to calm down.

"I thought you liked me," Holly said flatly.

"Yes, of course I do, but it's wrong, you're not yourself," Trouble said warily. "Did you do it because you wanted to get Artemis out of your head or what?! Because if you did then it's definitely wrong."

_Since when were you so ethical, Trouble? _he asked himself. _When you had no qualms in destroying Artemis' and Holly's happiness by chasing him away. _He decided to ignore that question, and observed Holly's reaction.

Holly gave him a stony look before she crept back into her own world, where it was safe.

Trouble was still trying to slow down his heart rate when he noticed that Holly was locking herself out of the world again.

"Do you...do you want something to eat?" Trouble asked concernedly.

"I'm not hungry. Leave me alone."

"I won't."

Holly did not reply.

Trouble couldn't stand to see Holly destroy herself any longer.

"Come on, Holly! I'm going to take you somewhere."

Trouble held the lifeless hand of Holly Short and led her out of the door. Holly Short only had a mildly amused look on her face as Trouble forcibly dragged her out of the house, adamant to put a smile on this gloomy female, and damned he would be if he didn't.

For both, it was a new beginning that they would both cherish and experience, and ironically, a beginning that both would have liked to forget.

**__**

Author's Note: 

Here are my replies to some queries left in the reviews:

uh? - You might have gotten confused because I didn't explain what Trouble's plan was. But that was the whole point. You're not supposed to know. Basically it's just him going a bit evil and blabbering constantly about how successful his plan is going to be. Then he drives Artemis away at the last part. Make much sense now? -_-' I don't think so...

Magic Girl2 - Nice try, but no, that wasn't what Trouble said. :) You'll just have to find out what he said in the later chapters...Muahahahaha I'm so evil!!

Misti - I just updated my Easyjournal, so you can go read it if you want to. I'm now *trying* to update it on a regular basis.

Windswift - Gaaarrgh! You got me there! I know there are many little little quirks in my story, and that's because I haven't been doing enough research. I went back to re-read Artemis Fowl Book One again though, so my later chapters won't have so many faults.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'd just like to tell everyone I'm going on holiday from the 16th of November to the 21st as well as from the 6th of December to the 18th, so don't expect updates during those periods of time. I'll try to update as much as I can before I go on holiday though. Cheero!


	17. Bitter Rejuvenation

__

Chapter Seventeen: Bitter Rejuvenation

****

(Holly's point of view)

Two years later

Year 2008

A charming smile involuntarily lit up Holly Short's features as she examined her reflection in the mirror, her eyes gently scrutinizing her auburn hair, tucked neatly behind her ears, like a secret kept safe in the deep recesses of her heart. Lowering her hazel eyes to a beautiful pendant that lay on the table, she picked it up reverently, her hands trembling with emotion as her fingers fumbled to put it on.

This had been given to her by Trouble. Her heart began to race once more, as a certain brown-haired brown-eyed individual visualised before her, and the steps he had taken to save her out of the whirlpool of depression that had been steadily sucking her in rebounded around her head.

Yes, she had to admit, she had fallen for him. For it was hard not to, being that he was a steady rock for her to latch onto while she struggled through the stormy weathers of her heart. She had loved the way he provided her with a sense of stability, unlike the disappearing Artemis she hardly spoke of now, even though Artemis had provided her with more romance in ways Trouble could never dream of achieving. 

She had loved the way Trouble would place her eyes on her, giving her a sound comfort from within. The way he would hold her with his warm embrace whenever she woke up in a cold sweat from a haunting dream about the blue-eyed Artemis, the self-confident genius who had come into her life, changed it for the better, but left so soon.

Holly's heart gave a slightly wrenching pang as the memory of the dark-haired blue-eyed individual resided in her head once more, tormenting her, refusing to go away until she begged her mind to end the torture. Holly forced herself to focus on the task at hand, which was to make herself look presentable for the dinner that she was having with Trouble that night. He had told her that he had something important to tell her, but Holly couldn't guess what it was, and why Trouble was being so secretive. Whatever it was, she knew she loved him, for the mere fact that he had been there for her, and she would be ready to listen to what he had to say.

_You love him? _her mind almost chortled. _Who are you deluding?_

Holly refused to answer her own almost-schizophrenic brain. It always happened at important times like these, when she was getting ready to meet Trouble, and convincing herself that she loved him. Then her brain would kick into annoyance mode and irritate her until she had to plead it to shut up. Holly smiled a wry smile. How ironic. A prisoner of her own mind.

_Holly. If you love Trouble, then why haven't you forgotten Arte -_

Holly cut her brain off in mid-thought. "We're not going here again, okay?" she said to herself. "I'm going to go out now, so please be a good girl and keep quiet. This is important to me. Please. I don't want you to screw anything up like you already did with Artemis, because _you _were the one who kept deluding me into believing that he liked me."

_For your information, I belong to you. Either way, you're shifting the blame on yourself._

Holly fumed silently, refused to answer, and tuned her thoughts out, as if she turned it off with a knob on a radio. She stepped out of her house, took a deep breath of Underground air to wish herself luck, and walked towards her destination, that would determine her destiny.

~*~

"This is a - a very fancy place you've brought me," Holly said, looking around her, a warm smile lighting up her features.

Trouble chuckled. "You've truly transformed, Holly. I'm proud of you."

Holly's eyes widened with curiosity. "Transformed? What do you mean?"

"Just a year ago you wouldn't even smile."

Holly smiled wryly at the memory of her depression. "Well, now I am. Your efforts have paid off. How much do I have to pay you for helping me back into my normal state?"

Trouble laughed quietly at Holly's comment. "You already have, Holly. You've given me your heart."

To her immense surprise, Holly found herself shuddering slightly at that gushy comment. She had never been used to it, and never would be. Strange how only Artemis knew that. His words of sarcasm were meant to be ambiguous in that way.

_What's wrong with you? _she berated herself mentally. _Shuddering at Trouble's affection towards you, and suddenly thinking about Artemis again? Have you gone insane?_

Trouble noticed her shiver, and a concerned look immediately etched out on his face. "What's wrong, Holly...? Are you cold?"

"Oh, no, no, it's nothing," she said quickly, plastering a fake smile on her face as she shoved her crazy thoughts into the back of her head just as quickly, as if Trouble could read them. She picked up her hot cup of tea and gulped it down, trying to pretend as if everything were normal, and ignoring the searing pain down her throat as the hot tea burned the area inside her mouth. She mentally kicked herself for being so foolish.

Trouble raised an eyebrow. "Holly. You just drank a cup of piping hot tea in one go."

"I know."

"That's...strange."

Holly tried a laugh. It sounded fake. "Yes, it is, isn't it? But I've been wanting to try that for ages. I heard it builds up your stamina." She beamed.

Trouble frowned a bit more. "O-Okay," he said hesitantly, and resumed eating. Holly wondered why she was acting so weird. The thoughts about Artemis must have sent her all un-Holly-like.

_Then stop thinking about him, you've gotten over him, you've actually got a future with Trouble ahead of you!_

"Holly," Trouble said as he put down his fork, "There's something I've been wanting to tell you."

Holly kept very still and paid attention, finally having won the inner battle within her head. The Artemis defender had been knocked out. For the time being.

Trouble fidgeted with his napkin. "You see, it's like this," Trouble's voice quavered.

Holly began to worry. Trouble's voice only quavered when bad news was pouring forth. Was he about to break up with her?

_No.....No! I won't allow it! Just now he was just saying how proud he was of me! I won't be able to stand another rejection._

"We've known each other for a considerable amount of time..."

_....And I feel that you're not the right one for me, _Holly completed sadly.

"And I was wondering, will you marry me? I do love you very much!"

What a drastic turn of events! The unexpected news hit Holly like a bombshell. Out of shock, she almost fell over backwards in her chair, and her heart stopped for a moment as she managed to squeak, "What?"

Trouble was taken aback. "What do you mean, _what? _You're supposed to say yes or no!"

Holly's hazel eyes seemed to desperately search for something as she roamed his body critically, looking into his own brown eyes, wanting to know if this was all a joke.

_Please don't tell me you're doing this, Holly. I thought you loved him. You should be jumping for joy! _her mind cried.

_So why do I feel so hesitant to accept? _Holly pondered.

"I..." Holly began, unsure.

"Go on..." Trouble said, looking panic-stricken by now, not sure whether he was going to suffer the greatest rejection of his life, not only injuring his heart but ultimately also his self-confidence, or the greatest joy he would ever experience.

Holly shut her eyes and thought for a minute. The 'yes' was on the tip of her tongue now, but something was holding her back. Just that little something.

_Artemis, _she found herself thinking, and it was all she would ever think about for that space of a minute.

That dark-haired individual with eyes of surreal blue. Baring his soul to the world, baring the side of humanity carefully hidden under layers of self-conceited arrogance and intelligent sarcasm. She had known him in his purest form, the Artemis who could feel and have emotions and experience sentimental attachments to people, the Artemis carefully hidden from the prying eyes of the cruel world. Together, they had discovered the whole new side to themselves, the meaning of friendship, the meaning of sacrifice, the meaning of true love. That love had been exchanged between them whenever they spoke to one another. Artemis did not need to use words of gushy affection to express it for her. He had just carefully hidden it under his teasing remarks to her, waiting for her to uncover it, and then wait for her to pour back a little of her own love in her comeback remarks. 

People would say it was strange, but Holly treasured it like no other. It was like their very own secret. And with every word, came a new discovery of love to uncover. To her, it had been tremendously exciting and freshly innovative. While Trouble provided the sense of stability, Artemis provided that wildly new and original side to love unexplored by human or fairy hands before. Just the most subtle of touches from him made her melt. Just a sarcastic remark her way made her tingle. It was all so different, and Artemis was the missing jigsaw piece to her life. Not Trouble. Not Riley. Not her father. Not her mother. It was that blue-eyed, dark-haired individual who brought more colour into her bleak life and made her want to change.

_That's enough! _Holly berated herself. _Stop thinking about Artemis. All that love you thought you knew, was a lie. Get over it._

Let it go, her brain insisted. _It's over._

Let it go. Let it go. Let it go, her brain repeated.

_Let it go._

Holly took a deep breath before she made her answer, the image of Artemis swimming about in her mind. She saw it in her head once more. For a moment, she felt a fragile hope stir within her, that one day, she would meet her again and accept her.

But then Trouble's words floated back into her mind. _"He's a snake." _The words, so vehement and brutally honest, were successful in piercing the barrier through her heart and made her realise, there was no more hope to reconcile with this man. So what was the use of lamenting lost love between them?

She thought of Artemis one last time, for luck, before she moved on. Then filing the picture away into the back of her brain, she glanced into Trouble's hope-filled eyes, felt a similar hope shine for her, and whispered, "Yes. I will marry you."

It was the best decision of her life.

~*~

****

Four years into marriage

Year 2012

A year before the present

Early afternoon, when LEP officers are in bed

"Mummy! Mummy!" A shrill voice broke through the sweet reverie of the early afternoon, and Holly's eyes fluttered open to reveal a hyperactive three-year-old bouncing on her bed, similar hazel eyes gazing into hers, a smile plastered onto her face.

"Ophelia!" she replied as enthusiastically, even though being woken up in the middle of a deep sleep (something she needed most when her working hours were rather long) was rather annoying.

"I've had the most _wonderful _dream!" her daughter exclaimed, and Holly sat up, eager to listen.

Halfway through, Holly began reflecting. Life had painted such a sweet picture for her, and since she had married Trouble, bliss had never been so gratifying. Holly kept finding herself awakening to a new dusk (since they work at night) with hope and desire. Trouble took very good care of her, and not a single day went by with her regretting the decision she had made.

_I knew he'd be able to fulfil the responsibility Artemis left behind, _she thought satisfyingly, glancing over at her husband who lay softly snoring in bed whilst Ophelia continued her enchanting story about her dream.

"What's a Mud Boy, Mummy?" Ophelia broke into her thoughts and asked inquisitively, looking up at her with immense curiosity.

_Mud Boy. Mud Boy. _Her brain taunted her, an image of a dark-haired individual taking place in her mind. She tried valiantly to shake it off.

"Why-why do you ask, sweetie?" she stammered, trying a warm smile, brushing a strand of hair from Ophelia's face. Suddenly a barrage of memories hit her like falling hailstones.

_A slow grin spread lazily over Artemis' face as he used his fingertips to ever so slightly whisk away a strand of hair out of Holly's eyes. The gesture alone was enough to make Holly's heart beat so fast within her ribcage that if it went any quicker, it would explode into nothingness._

_Artemis smiled and allowed himself to embrace her in his arms. He regarded her with soft blue eyes that sent shivers down her spine._

As the ground shook threateningly again, Holly dropped her strong facade and screamed, "Don't let go!"

To which Artemis replied seriously, "I won't." A flicker of warmth was reminiscent in his icy blue eyes before it died out again, and Holly wondered if she would ever get the chance to reconcile with Artemis.

"The man in the dream told me he was a Mud Boy," the voice jolted her back to reality, and Holly suddenly felt ashamed of herself. She felt ashamed that everything she did still reminded her of Artemis. Every subtle hint brought back memories. She should be over it. She was _married_, for D'Arvit's sake. But she wasn't over him. Not yet. Not ever. Even if he was forgiven, he would not be forgotten.

"Oh," Holly said softly, and began an explanation. "Well, let's see. A Mud Boy refers to the people who live aboveground. The scientific term for them is 'human being'. You see, Ophelia, we live Underground. Years ago we had a war with the humans, and were forced to live down here."

"Why would they do something like that?" Ophelia asked with the naivety of a three-year-old. "The Mud Boy seemed so nice."

Holly tried to smile as memories of Artemis overwhelmed her again. "And what did the Mud Boy say?"

"He told me he was coming soon. He told me the two species were going to be reunited. And then he sent me lots and lots of butterflies. It was beautiful!" Ophelia squealed.

Holly chuckled, the child in her rejuvenated. How nice it would be if she were to be a child again - without a care in the world, being fascinated by simple things like dreams which had butterflies in it, not bothered by the differences between people. Innocence was such a precious virtue, a precious character trait. _Shame we all had to lose it when we grew up, the stubborn adulthood in us ravaging our body and making us more cynical, _thought Holly.

Trouble stirred beside her. "Awake already?" he mumbled, his voice hoarse with sleep.

"Ophelia decided to be the alarm clock today," Holly said dryly, earning a small giggle from Ophelia.

"It's going to be evening soon. Shall I prepare some food?" Holly asked.

"What a dutiful housewife," Trouble said sarcastically, and Holly smacked him lightly on the shoulder before getting out of bed, Ophelia trailing childishly after her.

Holly yawned as she started the fire to fry some oglop eggs. Oglops were nasty creatures Underground, and looked a little like ladybugs. Just that they were about the size of a chicken, and were annoying pests which fed on any kind of groceries they found. They were only useful in the sense that they laid eggs which made for a tasty dish. The People were all too happy to slaughter them for this very use. Poor oglop souls.

"Mummy, can I help?" Ophelia called out behind her, and Holly turned around nervously. Ophelia's idea of help was struggling to lift the heavy pan used for cooking off the ground, but to no avail as it crashed to the floor and collected dirt, before proceeding to break all the oglop eggs as she passed them to Holly. Normal things a clumsy three-year-old did actually, but right now, Holly wasn't in the mood to clean up after a clumsy three-year-old.

"Er....Ophelia, maybe you could help by cleaning the house a bit," Holly said. "Just...just be very careful, and don't break anything, okay?"

"Okay!" Ophelia cried excitedly, and ran off to sort the bookshelves. Holly chuckled. That was where Ophelia always started. She knew the pattern now. After five minutes of 'cleaning' the bookshelves, Ophelia would soon be absorbed in a children's book she would find on the bookshelf. Sometimes Holly wondered whether she would be looking at the pictures in it or she was really reading the big words imprinted on the book.

"Mummy....this book's got no cover!" Ophelia yelled.

"Well then, leave it alone. Sometimes books have no covers because we've lost them."

"The words are so small too. Hey, it's Daddy's book!" Ophelia squealed. "There's his name on it."

"Mm-hmm," Holly said, not paying attention and busy frying oglop eggs.

"Will you read it to me, Mummy?"

"I'm busy, Ophelia. Ask Daddy to read it for you. It's his book anyway."

"Okay," Ophelia replied obediently, and ran into the room where Trouble was sleeping. But by now, he was already up and awake, and changing into more casual clothes.

Holly turned off the stove, and set the oglop eggs aside. She heard the conversation between Ophelia and Trouble begin.

An excited squeal. "Daddy! Read the story to me!"

Pause.

A dangerous hissing whisper started. "_Where _did you get this book from?"

"You left it on the bookshelf, Daddy."

The voice is raised. "_Give _it to me!"

A shocked voice quavers. "But - why - ? Daddy -"

The voice is angry now. "_I said, _give it to me!"

A frightened voice replies. "Don't shout, Daddy..."

"GIVE IT TO ME!" Sounds of someone wrenching a book from a person's grip are heard. A shocked cry resounds around the room, before they burst into noisy tears.

"Ouch! You hurt my arm, Daddy!"

The loud voice booms furiously. "_Never touch my things again!"_

"I - I didn't know - !" The voice hiccups noisily.

Holly burst into the room. "What's going on?" she said anxiously, her eyes registering the tear-streaked face of Ophelia's and the livid face of Trouble's.

Trouble tucked the black book under his arm and strode out of the room furiously, without a word. Holly glared furiously behind his back, before attending to Ophelia, whom she was fiercely protective of.

"Why did Daddy shout at me and pull the book from my hand?" Ophelia sobbed.

She hugged Ophelia comfortingly. "It's all right, Ophelia. Daddy was just mad because you took his book without permission."

"I didn't know, Mummy!" Ophelia hiccuped. "I really didn't know!"

"I know, Ophelia. I know."

Holly thought about it for a minute. Trouble was hiding something, and she'd be damned if she didn't find it out. What kind of a dark secret could cause him to turn upon his own daughter and scream his wits out at her? What could be in the book? Holly felt the strong determination to find out overpower her senses completely, and it was all she ever thought about in the moments to follow.

~*~

****

A week later

Early morning

It had been a week, and still Holly hadn't found out about it. By now, the suspense was killing her. The contents of the book were like a forbidden fruit, tempting her to find them, to quench her thirst of uncovering Trouble's secret. It haunted her dreams in the morning, and haunted her conscience in the night. Like a knife slowly drawing blood from her. Holly yearned so much to find the book and read it, that the desire was soon all she ever obsessed about.

Holly woke up this early afternoon, hoping for an opportunity to retrieve the book and read it. Two days ago, she had seen Trouble lock it in a drawer by his bedside, when he had thought that she had been sleeping, and hidden the key under the bed. Now it seemed to beckon her as Trouble's snores filled the air around her, and Holly crept stealthily out of bed, stealing gently over to Trouble's side. The drawer was so close to his bedside that it would have been murder to try and open it without waking him up. But you never knew. Trouble was a very deep sleeper.

Just at that moment, the heavens seemed to be helping her as Trouble rolled on his other side, his back facing her. Telling herself to calm down, she fumbled around under the bed for any sign of a golden key. She almost recoiled in horror at the years' amount of grime and dust under there, and promised herself to do a thorough clean-up tomorrow. Today, the important thing was finding the key.

Trouble suddenly turned back to face her, and as the bed heaved under his weight, Holly had to stop herself from jumping in shock. She scrutinized him for a minute, but his eyes remained closed. Her heart was beating erratically at the fact that Trouble could wake up any moment, and she would be dead meat. She knew she was crazy to not wait for a safer opportunity to get the book, but the suspense was too harsh for her to bear. She wanted to find out the secret _now_, and not any other time.

_Bingo! _she thought happily as her fingers closed around an object that was shaped suspiciously like a key. She brought it out reverently, and checked on Trouble to make sure he was still asleep. She felt like such a snake by sneaking behind Trouble's back and uncovering his secret when they should have been a proper couple who confided in each other and didn't go sneaking behind the other person's back, but Holly debated that if Trouble wasn't going to tell anyone his secret, she should have a right to find out about it. She was his _wife, _after all! And so she felt better.

Fingers stiff with fear, Holly inserted the key into the lock and tried to turn it, but the key wouldn't budge. Holly could almost die with anxiety as she struggled valiantly to turn it, afraid at the same time that Trouble would wake up and catch her in the act. Holly decided that it must be some special lock.

She tried a couple more of attempts, trying to turn it this way and that, even saying a spell to open the drawer, but to no avail. Feeling defeated, she wrenched the key out of the lock and sighed. She almost cast a scowl at Trouble's sleeping form for making things so difficult.

Suddenly Holly got an inspiration. Maybe the lock was like a combination lock. You had to turn it around in a particular direction before the drawer would open. Holly's heart boiled over with relief. Then maybe, once it had been turned in the right direction, the key could be inserted inside and the drawer would be unlocked!

Flushed with success, Holly's fingers barely touched the outer rim of the normal-looking lock before she turned it nine times counter-clockwise, then seven times clockwise. It failed, but Holly was relentless in her efforts.

By the thirteenth try, Holly's head was positively spinning and her heart was void of hope, but after inserting the key inside and turning it, she heard a 'click', and could almost kiss the drawer in gratitude.

With shaking hands, Holly pulled open the drawer. The contents of the drawer were amazingly messy.

Jewellery boxes, watches, papers, folders, and the like. Holly rummaged around frantically for the book, pushing aside documents and even digging at the back of the drawer for the book. Her fingers closed upon a thick envelope, and she pulled it out excitedly. It was sealed. Holly opened it reverently, and a black book fell out. THE book. It lay there silently on her lap, once again beckoning her to read it. It seemed to be a journal. Clutching the tempting book with shaking hands, she brought it over to her bedside where she sat down and opened the book.

The front page said:

"This book belongs to Trouble. Private and Confidential."

Holly flipped to the second page. No day, no date, no year. Just words. Private thoughts.

"I can't believe what I'm thinking. I looked at Holly Short at work today and thought she was beautiful. I haven't felt this way before. Am I in love with her?"

Holly read on, fascinated. In it chronicled Trouble's feelings for Holly throughout the whole journey, and she felt a strange warm feeling crawl its way to her heart. She was three-quarters through the book when the entries suddenly stopped, leaving a whole lot of blank pages. Holly flipped through a few more pages, but found nothing. She shrugged to herself, and wondered why Trouble wanted to keep such a book from her. There was nothing wrong with it. Holly thought Trouble was rather silly to keep such a book from her and Ophelia. It was pretty romantic, in a way, why did he have to keep it a secret? _Maybe he was embarrassed of my reaction if I read it._ Shaking her head and smiling, she was about to close the book when something caught her eye.

"DIE, ARTEMIS, DIE."

Holly thought she was hallucinating. The words appeared on the last few pages of the black book, which she did not come across since there were a whole lot of blank pages before it, and she flipped back frantically, shocked at what had been written.

There it was. She saw it again. Written in bold, black ink, underlined to emphasize the hatred.

"DIE, ARTEMIS, DIE."

Trouble's handwriting became a messy scrawl at this point, as compared to his neat handwriting before that. It appeared as if he had lost his sanity.

Holly found it hard to read the words that came after that sentence. He seemed to be scribbling frantically, as if in a bid to get everything out of his head before he lost track of it. Holly found her heart sinking and her eyes widening in disbelief as she read on. The wounds in her heart re-opened as her eyes absorbed the words on the pages beneath her. She gasped involuntarily as she read Trouble's words, her hand flying up to her mouth in incredulity. She knew who had been wrong all this while. It was all here, in black and white. She couldn't believe it. It was too horrible to contemplate. She was in love with a villain. She was in love with a monster.

Suddenly a shadow loomed over her as a voice behind her screamed, "_I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH MY THINGS!"_

Holly whirled around, shocked.

It was Trouble!

** __**

Author's Note: Woooo! I'm back! Miss me much? Haha...

****

Idria:

Certainly, you posed some very interesting questions, and I would like to answer them for you:

1) First. About Holly kissing Trouble. I am very much aware that it is out-of-character, which is precisely the whole point. She was so depressed that she wasn't herself anymore. I actually got the inspiration from watching a TV serial, in which this woman was so morbidly depressed that she didn't even know what she was doing. Maybe I didn't bring out that point clearly enough. Maybe it was too subtle.

2) Then, about Holly crying. Holly's not angry, actually. She's actually disappointed. She put so much of her hope and trust on Artemis, and leaving her behind like that just crushed all her self-confidence. In a way, she is a little angry, but more disappointed. She thought something could've worked out between the two of them. Secondly, I don't really think crying is out-of-character for Holly Short. In my opinion, she's got her own emotions and feelings too, and even the strongest facade can't hide that. I tried to give her a more sentimental side in this story - about her cherishing her relationship with her father that she can't believe he would use her like that.

3) Yep, I know things may get confusing at times. I always put the names of the locations before I begin the paragraph to try and keep readers on track. Looks like it didn't work out. Now I know how to improve my next story, so thank you.

4) Blue Yeti brought out that point too. I know most people would feel that Holly and Artemis isn't a very good relationship to put both characters into, and I conveniently overlooked the differences between the two. I'm just trying to bring out a romance which doesn't emphasize on the obvious differences between them. A little unrealistic, yes, I've realised that now. Although I'm an avid Holly/Artemis fan, this will probably be the only Holly/Artemis fic I do, since lots of readers don't really appeal to it much. But that's okay. In my other fic, in which I made fun of a Mary Sue, someone reviewed, 'What kind of a FREAK are you?', so that goes to show how weird my ideas may be. :) Incidentally, I found that comment tremendously amusing. She must have been a Mary Sue supporter. They can be such defensive flamers at times. Keep a look out for the rest of my fics, okay? :)

flamaria13 - All right, you're really scaring me. :) I had no idea you got so agitated when writers don't update. On the contrary, I try to update as often as I can. This is why I've got 16 chapters in just a space of two months. That's roughly 8 chapters a month, which means 2 chapters per week. Isn't that fast enough for you? Most writers I know churn out only one chapter per two weeks. I'm not trying to boast, but I'm just trying to say that I perfectly understand what it's like to be left with a cliffhanger and no updates for as long as one month, because I'm a reader too. Please don't expect me to be a writing machine! *looks around timidly and hides in a corner*

By the way, I don't write for the reviews. So it's not that if I have a particular amount of reviews, like 100+, then I will write the next chapter. It's okay if you don't review me so many times, because I'm just writing as a hobby. The reviews are just an added benefit. :)

Thanks to the rest of you for reviewing!


	18. Only Just Begun

__

Chapter Eighteen: Only Just Begun

****

(Holly's point of view)

She had been too careless. In her deep preoccupation with Trouble's book, she had failed to realise that Trouble had woken up. Now, as she came face to face with Trouble's irate face, his anger making him larger than life, she felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine.

He brought his face close to hers, his pupils dilating dangerously with rage. "_Why are you touching my things?_" he hissed, punching every syllable with fury. "_WHO GAVE YOU THE PERMISSION TO?!" _he roared. _"ANSWER ME!"_

Terrified, Holly backed away, and leapt out of the bed, clutching the book protectively against her chest. She wanted to scream, "Don't come any closer!" or "Come any closer and I'll whack you!", but the intense emotions of shock and fear had built themselves so high up within her that she found it difficult to speak. Moreover, the crushing burden of the painful truth she had just discovered had muted her completely, and she only had the energy to send her feet scuttling for cover as she tried valiantly to avoid Trouble's wrath.

He stormed after her, taking long strides. With each step he took he gained closer. The gap between them narrowed, and Holly found herself holding on to the book more than ever. She backed up, but felt the wall behind her. Dead-end. She stooped to the ground, fear overwhelming her.

"You _wretch! _How _dare _you snoop where you don't belong!" Trouble yelled, reaching out to snatch the book from her arms. She watched, paralysed, as his fingers stretched toward the truth she had worked so hard to find, ready to rip it away from her...

"No!" she screamed, yanking the book out of his grasp. She rose to his height, but kept the book clutched tightly to her chest. Meeting his outraged gaze, she hardly saw what was coming as Trouble lifted up a hand and slapped her across the cheek. Her heart pounded with the pain she felt. No one had ever slapped her before, and the injustice done to her made Holly feel indignant. Suddenly, the shock and fear in her crumbled to reveal what she wanted to feel all along, ever since she had read Trouble's book. Fear changed into humiliation. Humiliation changed into seeking justice. Seeking justice changed into utmost rage.

The truth she had read burned tauntingly in her brain. Searing anger ripped through Holly's body as she lifted a hand to shield her cheek where Trouble had slapped her last. Fury reflected in her hazel eyes as she cast a piercing glance at Trouble and screamed, "How _dare _you!"

Trouble froze. He stared at her a moment, watching the woman he loved, the one he had just slapped in his uncontrollable rage. The usual docile Trouble everyone knew had morphed into a monster tonight. He almost felt ashamed of herself, but it was too late. For now, he felt regret. He should not have slapped her. For hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Just as he had been the one screaming at Holly previously, ironically, Holly's furious hazel eyes had now reduced him to a shivering mass of fear.

"How _dare _you slap me when _you_ are the one who deserves to be _slapped!_" Holly yelled, letting her built-up anger pour forth like boiling lava, hopefully burning Trouble to ashes with it. She had never hated someone so much in her entire life. She had never felt so repulsed at someone just by looking at him, as the truth swirled about in her mind, the contents of the book torturing her, affecting her, berating her for being so foolish and believing him.

"W-wait, Holly. I - I don't understand..." Trouble began fearfully, stammering.

"Shut up!" Holly hissed. "_What did you say to Artemis?"_

"H-Holly...what - what are you talking about?" Trouble stuttered, as his fear made his previous rage deflate like an old beach ball. Now his shoulders stooped, and the angry colour was drained from his face, only to be replaced by the pale white of fear. His eyes darted back and forth nervously, his hands wringing with anxiety. Pathetic.

Holly narrowed her eyes dangerously, her teeth gnashing together silently with anger. "You don't know? Let me refresh your memory." 

She opened the book, flipped to the last few pages and began to read:

"Die, Artemis, die! I think I have never hated anyone as I much as I hate that Mud Boy. For one, he stole my Holly, which rightfully, should have been mine. They don't even fit together, and I wonder what that silly girl sees in him. I must come up with a plan to pull Artemis out of the picture - only then, can the ultimate treasure be mine!"

Holly flipped to the next page. Another entry had begun.

"I swear, Holly's lips are coated with honey. We kissed when she came over today, presumably to see if I was okay. Of course I'm not okay! She's not MY girl! Just that very thought has gotten my blood boiling. And so, I've gotten everything that I needed. The chemist has given me everything I needed. Now I must find the time to put my plan in action. Tonight, I will hold a gathering. Then I will watch Artemis. I will watch Artemis. I will watch his every movement. Then I will carry out my plan. After the party, we will have a talk. I will force him to leave Haven. Force him to leave Haven forever. Force him to leave Holly. Then the next day, lie to Holly. Give a bad impression of Artemis. She must forget him. He must forget her. They will BOTH forget each other! Very delicious plan. I love it. I am a genius. More so than Artemis. It's a plan they both won't be able to see through. Finally, Holly will be mine!"

Holly looked up from the book, her hands shaking. Trouble was muttering to himself, out of fear she presumed, and had fallen to his knees, shaking all over.

Holly's anger had not yet simmered. "What did you say to Artemis, Trouble?" she said softly, dangerously, angrily.

"H-Holly...I - I can explain..." Trouble murmured.

"YES! I WANT AN EXPLANATION! YOU JOLLY WELL GIVE ME THAT!" she screamed at him, and flung the book at him. She yanked him to his feet and forced him to look at her. "Look at me, _D'Arvit, _and answer me! _What did you say to drive Artemis away?"_

"H-Holly..." Trouble stammered.

Holly threw Trouble a loathsome glare, and crossed her arms. Suddenly a timid voice spoke up behind her as the door to their bedroom opened.

"Mummy? Daddy? Why are you screaming at each other?"

Holly's rage wavered for a moment at the sound of Ophelia's voice. A child's naivety always managed to throw her off, and she turned around to face Ophelia, who was staring at her incredulously.

"Ophelia," she said gently, trying to keep her rage under control. "Stay out of this, okay? This is between your father and I."

"But -"

"Go back to your room!" Holly said sternly.

Ophelia scuttled off, throwing her mother a terrified look.

Holly turned back to face Trouble. She narrowed her eyes and spoke, with a dangerous tone of someone who had been greatly antagonized.

"It doesn't matter if you answer me or not anyway," Holly hissed. "It's all over. It's all over between us. You have managed to destroy just about any affection I had and would _ever _have for you, so don't even _think_ about trying to regain my love back. I'm going to say this once, and only once, so listen up. I was going to leave you, but it wouldn't be fair to Ophelia. I'm only staying with a miserable scum like you because of Ophelia. You must know, I don't love you anymore. I _can't_ love a _monster _who destroyed every bit of my eternal happiness!" she yelled, and strode out of the door, slamming the door behind her.

Trouble stared after her, spaced out for a minute, before he chuckled maniacally to himself. No, it wasn't over. Far from it.

"No," Trouble said softly, with the tone of the over-obsessed. "No. I don't believe you don't love me anymore. I'm going to fight for you....and your heart. You just wait."

~*~

****

One year later

Christmas Eve, late afternoon

Year 2013

Seven years since Holly and Artemis met

Somewhere Underground

Back to the present

(Artemis' point of view)

A blast of hot air slapped Artemis' face harshly as he walked on, leaving a soft red glow on his face, the result of someone who had been sunburned. Placing a hand on his cheeks, he lamented how horrid the heat was Underground. Even Ireland wasn't that hot.

_Oh, stop complaining, Artemis. Don't be such a child. You've got to move faster. You've got to see them again. You've got to see...her again, _he thought, his steps moving against the heavy air with fierce willpower.

__

The determined man looked to be in close proximity to the age of twenty-four, with hopeful and vulnerable blue eyes that looked like they had seen both heaven and hell. Yet, full of expression as those eyes were, he looked like an overly haunted and broken man. Dark circles under his eyes added to the effect of him looking tired, as if he hadn't slept for the years that he had been away.

_It's just a little farther. Come on, you've got to do this. Everything's going to be fine once you see her again._

Holly Short. The one name he kept so close to his heart, the one name that was so dear to him he barely mentioned it to anyone, afraid that if he did, the whole magic in their relationship would be broken. This woman was one of the reasons why he continued to hold his existence in the palm of his hand. She was one of the reasons why he continued to breathe, even when it proved to be useless. She was the one who made him feel worthy of living a life of meaning, a life of frivolity, just by allowing him to hold the emotions they both shared in his heart, something so precious and pure.

_You're going to see her again....that is, if she'll forgive you._

****

It was the one mental revelation that had tortured him cruelly for years. For the seven years they had been apart, Artemis had a constant nightmare that had tormented his mind, one that caused him to wake up and break out in cold sweat. It was so realistic, that he had always believed that one day, it would happen to him. 

In it, he saw Holly walk up a mountain, and then after a few minutes, throw herself down from it. Artemis could do nothing to save her, but only watch on, helplessly. Then suddenly, the whole scene would flash black and Holly would stand in front of a guilty Artemis, a look of disappointment on her face. Her lips would be stained purple and a lack of skin pigment would be noticeable on her fragile body and face, the signs of one who had just died.

"Why weren't you there for me?" he would hear Holly moan, like that of a zombie.

He would plead with her guiltily. "Please...Holly, I'm sorry I left you, but now I'm back. I'm back, aren't I?"

Sneering suddenly, Holly's nostrils would flare as her eyebrows would furrow deeply near the crevice of her eyes. Snapping her pointer finger at a shivering Artemis, Holly would scream loudly, "Shut up! It's too late! You did this to me! I thought you weren't coming back and I ended my life! You didn't help me when I needed you! I'll _never ever forgive you! _For that,I'm going to take you _straight _to hell where you belong! _Straight to hell!"_

Artemis shuddered at the dream which had distressed him for years. Part of his guilt had probably caused that dream to formulate, his guilt at leaving Holly behind without a proper explanation. He wondered if Holly would still remember him. He wondered if she still had any affection for him, or if he was too late. He wondered if she would understand why he left. He wondered if she could find it in her heart to forgive him for leaving so abruptly.

_Unless Trouble's already told her, _he thought bitterly, his hackles raised at the very thought of that traitor's name.

_I just ask for one more chance. Just one, last chance to do things right, that's all I ask._

Suddenly, the city of Haven visualized before him, as he realised he had reached his destination. The place that had not left his conscience for years. Haven. The hustle and bustle of the city, as citizens went on their daily routine. It made him feel renewed. It made him feel rejuvenated. He had finally made it.

Artemis smiled to himself.

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed harshly and coldly behind him.

"You worthless piece of scum...!"

Artemis whirled around to see a fuming, red-faced male fairy, his eyes clearly reflecting the anger at seeing Artemis himself. A look of disturbance was clearly becoming evident on his tan features, and Artemis' smile wore away as he registered the fury emanating from this fairy.

"Commander Root..." Artemis began lamely, his blue eyes hesitant with fear at the anger etched out all over Root's face.

"Don't even _call _me by my name because _you_ make me _sick!_" Root growled, and yanked Artemis by the arm, pulling him into a bar nearby. Artemis could hardly find enough time to react as he was dragged off his feet, and into a dingy, empty bar where a female fairy stood cleaning the tables, looking at Root with an amused expression. Then her eyes registered Artemis, and they widened with surprise, before the fear of the unknown overtook her and she gave a little cry, hiding behind the counter, cowering. Artemis ducked just in time to avoid his skull getting crushed by the heavy doorframe. These fairies were as short as they looked.

"We're - we're not open for business yet, Commander, and what the - what the bloody hell _is _that thing?" the female fairy squeaked. Commander Root threw the frightened fairy an annoyed glance before going behind the counter to pick the squealing fairy up by the collar and throwing her out of the door.

"Hey -!" the female fairy protested.

"Sorry, Veronica, need some privacy while I sort a few things out. And that thing? It's a filthy monster hardly even worth mentioning," Root said scathingly as he shut the door behind him, leaving the owner of the bar outside.

"Why the blatant insult towards me?" Artemis inquired amusedly, arching an eyebrow.

"You deserve that insult, Mud Boy. You got a whole lot of _guts_ coming back here! After you left Holly like she was some piece of garbage. You've got a whole lot of _nerve _showing your pale white ghostly face here again!" Root barked, his face steadily turning red as rage overtook his sensible soul. The whirlpool of morbid depression that Holly had been sucked into was a memory that was hard to banish from his head, and Root, feeling a certain protectiveness against the girl in a fatherly sort of way, was ready to dole the revenge treatment out on the one who had completely destroyed Holly's strong fighting spirit, just by taking off with the wind and not even leaving a note of explanation. He had thought better of Artemis, but such irresponsibility had completely shattered any good impression of Artemis he once had. If it weren't for that kind soul Trouble, he wouldn't know what would have happened to Holly, and he shuddered just to think of it.

Artemis opened his mouth angrily to defend himself, but told himself that getting into a rage when Root was ready to throttle him was not the best thing to do. Furthermore, tantrums were for the immature. He immediately withdrew into his safe shell of icy composure, and in a voice layered with even calmness, he began, "You don't understand, Commander. It's not as simple as you think. I -"

"Bloody _hell_!" Root yelled, and banged a fist furiously on the table. Artemis gave a jump, but just a very small one. The heat radiating from Root was dangerously powerful, and Artemis wisely decided to keep quiet as Root's wrath broke over him. "_I _don't understand? _I don't understand?! _D'Arvit, Artemis, I've seen a lot in my time, and I've never seen a sight as devastating as the pitiful state Holly was in. If it's anyone who doesn't understand, it's _you, _damn it! So get out of here before you cause any further pain!"

Artemis shut his eyes, the dream coming back to him. Gathering up enough courage, he opened his eyes and asked, "What - what exactly happened to Holly?"

At the mention of Holly's name, the hard features on Root's face which had been contorted in a rage softened a little. Then he remembered who he was talking to, and his fury got the better of him again. "Even if I told you, you probably wouldn't find it in your heartless soul to understand!" he spat angrily.

Artemis felt the tendrils of irritation begin to wrap itself firmly around his mind. "I'm sorry I left, all right? Now I'm back to make things right," he retorted.

"No, but 'sorry' doesn't fix everything, you insufferable jerk! _You _try telling that to Holly, and I'll be damned if she doesn't hit you in the face and slam the door while she's at it too! On second thoughts, _don't _visit her. You'd only bring back all the pain she's managed to forget! I suggest you leave, and that's the best thing you could do in your entire miserable life."

"Wait, Commander! You didn't even give me a chance to explain!" A desperate plea began to rise up within Artemis' throat. "You don't even know half the story behind why I left!"

"I couldn't care _less_ about why you left! The fact is, you _did_, and you completely ruined everything that was actually going right in your life! Strange how you're a genius but have managed to make some very _dumb _choices in your lifetime!" Root retorted.

Artemis sighed. "Maybe you're right, but now I've come back here, thinking that maybe fate would give me another chance to make amends."

"Make amends for what, kid? There's nothing left for you here to mend. It's all over. Go home," Root said, his rage having taken a toll on his energy level. He almost sounded tired.

"What do you mean, it's all over?" Artemis asked, frowning.

Root heaved a sigh, and looked up at him with the eyes of a man who had a terrible piece of news to unleash, and it wasn't going to be easy.

"One thing you have to know, Artemis...Holly wasn't going to wait around for you forever. Well, maybe she would have, I don't know. That is if, Trouble hadn't come into the picture."

Unknowingly, Artemis felt his hands clench into fists.

"And for the first time, he made her smile. He made her move on. He told her it wouldn't do her much good to keep dwelling on your memory, because seriously, you were a jerk to have left her all alone, and that you didn't deserve her. For the first time after you left, she found a reason to smile, to laugh. Because she deserved to. She didn't need to waste her life pining over someone who wouldn't even return her affections." At this point, Root glared angrily at Artemis. "For the first time, she was _happy. _And she's doing good. She's maintained her good job, she's getting along well with everyone. I've never seen someone so content in my whole life." As he said all this, Root's eyes gleamed with a tinge of jealousy at the fact that Holly had finally gotten the good life she deserved, while he was still in the world, looking for the perfect destiny that continued to elude him. But the envy lasted just for a moment only. Then his eyes reverted back into the ones everyone usually saw; calm, brown eyes with just a hint of a storm brewing within them, giving one the sense that he was a level-headed chap, yet could be powerful and unyielding when he wanted to.

"So I'm trying to say that's she got over you, Artemis. There's no way you could reconcile with her."

"I don't believe you," Artemis said firmly, calmly. "I bet she's not happy. I bet she's still searching for that missing jigsaw puzzle piece in her life. Where is she? I want to talk to her."

"Didn't I tell you not to bother her anymore? You'll only bring up so many unwanted memories and pain. Furthermore, I'm sorry that I had to be the one to tell you this, Artemis, but she's married. With a child!" Root exclaimed.

"Married?" Artemis repeated, dumbfounded. "Why? To whom?"

"What do you mean, _why? _She couldn't dwell on your memory forever, and you'd be the most selfish brat I knew if you expected her to! She deserved to live a better life, and honestly, I'm glad she found it. She's married to Trouble, Artemis. The man who saved her from depression. You couldn't find a better choice. I know he'll be good to her. He'll take care of her, like you never did."

Artemis scowled at the last remark. Obviously Root still had not forgiven him. "Just to set the record straight, Commander, I cared for Holly, and I still do." Artemis began to feel the knife of jealousy plunge into his heart and turn three-hundred-and-sixty degrees, causing him to feel the painful twist of hurt and the feeling of being betrayed. Even as he stood here, another person was holding Holly, kissing Holly, loving Holly. "I don't care if she's married or not. Tell me where I can find her," Artemis said bitterly, adamant to make things right with Holly.

"Don't be stupid, Artemis. If you truly cared for her, you would just leave her alone to be happy," Root insisted. "You would let her live the life she always wanted, no matter how bad it hurts."

Artemis smirked. No one could ever replace Holly's place in his heart, that much he knew. "Thanks for the words of wisdom, Commander," he said sarcastically. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to ruin Holly's life. I just want to explain to her some things."

Root relented. "All right, but you've got to promise that you won't take away the happiness Holly's feeling right now. She deserves it. You just tell her your pathetic story and _leave, _got it?"

"I promise."

"All right. Holly's having a Christmas party this evening..."

**__**

Author's Note: Time to answer some questions!

Idria: Artemis _does _have blue eyes. In the first book of the Artemis Fowl series, it says on page 71, _"Something was troubling Artemis. It was plain in the web of premature lines that spread from the corners of his deep-blue eyes." _**At least that's what it says in my version. Mine is the British version of Artemis Fowl. If you have the U.S. Edition, maybe it's a little different. I always try to get my facts right before I start a story. Of course, I do slip up now and then. And no, you're not getting incredibly annoying. I'm glad you've taken the time to actually raise questions to improve my story.**

Thanks to the rest who have reviewed!


	19. The Truth Hurts

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Chapter Nineteen: The Truth Hurts

****

(Holly's point of view)

Holly surveyed the decorations around her house with her trained eye, her hands perched on her hips. Ophelia had been clamouring to celebrate Christmas in a fancy way ever since she had read about a Christmas party in one of her picture books. Not wanting to disappoint Ophelia, she had taken the trouble to beg the LEP higher powers to allow her to hold this party and invite her friends in the LEP over. At first she had gotten the 'no', merely because what were to happen if half the LEP wasn't working like they usually did, and if Haven was under attack? Holly had promised that there would still be officers on patrol, since she wasn't inviting everyone, and the party would break up at once if there was an emergency. Of course, she had gotten the approval then, together with a greedy offer of the two-faced LEP council also coming over to her party. Holly stopped herself in thought momentarily. _Better not insult them too much. I _am _working for them, after all._

Celebrating Christmas this way also gave it more meaning. It made Holly think back to the old stories of the People once told, and how they had once worked and lived hand-in-hand with the Mud People, celebrating _their _events with them, and vice versa. When the People had been driven Underground, no one really made the effort to celebrate Christmas much anymore, seeing as it had nothing to do with them. Those adamant warrior fairies who had fought against the Mud People hated it even more, and never spoke of it completely. Aware that she was one of the few who was celebrating Christmas this way, merely to please her little daughter (and also because Christmas is a time for family), gave the whole event more significance.

Holly jumped as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Whirling around, she took a step back and glared furiously as her eyes registered the man standing before her. Trouble, the name serving to emphasize what a sly, scheming snake he was.

"What do you want," she spat scathingly, her eyes narrowing in a natural act of suspicion. A dark cloud of distrust had hung between them ever since she had found out the truth about him, and even though she had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him, he was relentless, and did not believe that she had no more affection for him. _Silly, over-obsessed fool, _Holly thought. Holly only accepted the act when Ophelia was around. In a way, she hated Trouble for using Ophelia as a shield. Because it was when she was around, that Trouble was allowed to touch her, to hold her, even when the very actions made her sick.

"Why the hostility, dear? We're _married_, after all," Trouble said, a charmingly handsome grin tugging at his features. _Handsome, yes, _Holly thought wistfully, _but deceitfully wicked and cunning._

"After what you've done, do you really think you deserve to even say that? I don't love you anymore! What part of the message didn't you understand?" Holly spat viciously, turning her back on him.

Trouble slid up to her and snuggled against her back. Holly shuddered with disgust, and pushed him away. "Do that another time and I'll kick you where it hurts," Holly said angrily.

"Oh, feisty. I like," Trouble laughed, still as deluded as ever.

"Oh, stupid. I don't like," Holly retorted, wiping the merriment off Trouble's face. Satisfied with her comeback, she smirked at him before flouncing out of the door to welcome guests.

"Mummy, can I go and play with Ariel?" Ophelia asked, tugging at her dress. Resting her hazel eyes on Ophelia, Holly found herself smiling involuntarily. _For every ounce of sadness and anger Trouble makes me feel, Ophelia makes me twice as happy, _she thought to herself, which was why she still stayed together with Trouble even though she could have just left it all behind and run off into the wind, free of her troubles and regrets. If it hadn't been for Ophelia, Holly would have divorced Trouble immediately and leave his side forever. He deserved it. He deserved to be lonely. For the truth about him had re-opened the wound in her heart, leaving her with an empty and aching feeling within.

"Who's Ariel?" she inquired pleasantly.

"Ariel's my _new_ friend," Ophelia chirped, before turning around and yelling at a girl fairy, about her age, to hurry up. Such child-like innocence made Holly wistful, and she wished she could be a child again, just so she wouldn't to worry about all her problems. But she was a grown-up now. No use reminiscing. She had to be mature.

"All right. Run along now, you may play in the garden."

Ariel and Ophelia took off excitedly as they ventured towards the garden.

Holly sighed and went back into the house. Time to entertain some guests. Unfortunately, Holly was more at ease fighting a monstrous troll with an ugly bashed-on face than faking a smile and speaking to guests in a sugary sweet voice.

~*~

****

(Artemis' point of view)

Artemis panted heavily as he hoisted himself up the wall, marvelling at the fact that he could actually put his limbs to such a good use, instead of keeping them rested at home, while his hands did all the exercise, forever typing away frantically at his keyboard as his eyes suffered from the time he spent on the computer. Yet, the dark blue eyes that were always so serene, still held its particular charm every time it cryptically met the eyes of another girl. Over the last seven years, because of his status and wealth, many girls had come forward with the sanguine hope of dating him, but if he went out with another girl, he would decide that it was a shame her eyes weren't hazel. Or if she happened to show a substantial amount of wit, he would lament that she still wasn't sarcastic enough. All these little factors had caused him to realise that he had not forgotten the one fairy who had started the feeling called 'affection' within him, the one with the hazel eyes and twisted sarcasm, the one he called Holly. 

Those eyes, the colour of hazel, were empowering. Every time Artemis looked into them, he would be on a natural high. No drugs were needed to make him feel this way. All it took was one look into the eye of the storm, and he was hooked, craving more and more each day. But the downfall was that if those precious eyes, which had sucked him so far in, so far in that he felt like he was drowning, were taken away, withdrawal symptoms would unfortunately occur. He had suffered from those symptoms when he himself had vanished into the night, leaving the only source of comfort he had ever known and truly appreciated.

Steering his mind back to reality, Artemis sat atop the wall, trying to regain back his breath. His chest heaved up and down valiantly, his lungs screaming for air. It was always like this. Artemis was aware that he had been physically unfit before, being that he never exercised often, but ever since he had left Haven his health had taken a drastic turn for the worse. One look, and you couldn't tell something was wrong within him. But appearances were deceiving. Shaking his head to rid his mind of ominous thoughts, the searing pain in his chest started to become hardly enough to bear, and giving in to the pleading call within his tortured conscience, Artemis reached into his pocket and brought out two very important things. The two things that had kept his grip on sanity a little longer.

A cigarette and a lighter. He had never thought of smoking before he went away, but ever since he was on his own, complications arose from within him. Because of what Trouble had said, his confidence had been broken and the willpower to fight against a problem faded away. He knew that the truth in Trouble's words was irreversible, and he wasn't going to waste his time fighting it, which would only result in an inevitable painful defeat. His once relentless stubbornness gave way to a timorous, accepting nature. This unyielding man had finally been destroyed. In his place, was a spineless coward. Hating himself for allowing to change because of what Trouble had said, he succumbed to the begging cry in his mind, the mind which had been tainted and corrupted as an outcome of his new nature, the one who constantly wanted to escape from reality and not face up to it like a brave man. He picked up the cigarette.

_Heart disease. Lung cancer, _the self-righteous part of his conscience nagged. He knew of the disadvantages smoking had to offer. But the coward in him far overwhelmed what little decent principles he had left. Although the disadvantages of smoking far outweighed the advantages, he took delight in the fact that there was _still _that little advantage, and that was to bring him away from the cruel reality that had been so heartless in quashing every bit of optimism in him. Smoking was a way of soothing the worries and covering the hole which had been deeply punctured into his heart. His will to live was already broken. His confidence had already been wrecked. What more was there left to destroy?

Ignoring the upright plea of his conscience, and complying with the coward in him, he placed the cigarette between his lips, and flicked the lighter to light it. Taking a slow drag of the cigarette, he felt the tendrils of deathly smoke curl themselves around his lungs, choking them into further doom. He coughed, but continued to destroy his body by taking another drag of the cigarette, adamant to run away from the reality that was slowly, but surely, killing him. Either way, he would die. He was just choosing the cowardly way out.

_Holly's married. Married! _he thought angrily, the incipient speculation causing him to feel insanely jealous. As the cigarette hung limply from his mouth, his brain was already ready for an internal debate.

_Of course she's married, did you really expect her to wait for you?! _the Holly defender cried mentally. _That's what you are, selfish, self-absorbed, and egotistical! You only care about yourself. You didn't even think about how Holly would feel if you left. No, you just took it into your head that leaving was the best option. Best option for you maybe, not for the rest of the world!_

It's not like that and you know it! Artemis replied mentally, angrily. _I thought leaving would spare her less pain, like what Trouble said. Only when I left did I realise that I should have stayed all along. How was I to know she would take it so hard? _

The Holly defender refused to be put down without a fight. 

_Excuses, excuses. You heartless fool! Always taking matters into your own hands. When will you learn that it's going to get you killed one day? And Trouble? Since when did he have the authority to tell you what to do? Did you suddenly get disowned by your father and then got adopted by Trouble?_

You don't understand, argued Artemis valiantly.

_I don't understand? I'm a part of you, why shouldn't I?_

Ha, thought Artemis, making a mental snort, _sometimes I wonder if I'm schizophrenic._

Tuning off the other side of his conscience, Artemis focused on the task at hand - to wait for Holly. Taking another drag from the cigarette, his blue eyes roamed the area below him carefully, taking in every hidden detail - the gnarled old tree trunk; the red roses, deceptively beautiful on the outside, but slyly hiding dangerous thorns within, ready to prick the fool who relished in trying to remove them from steady ground; two girls, playing a game of hide-and-seek amidst the bushes, without a care in the world. It made Artemis feel a stab of jealousy almost, merely because he had not experienced such a sweet slice of life. Being a genius sometimes had its shortcomings. Because he was a cut above the rest, he had always displayed a level of maturity that was rarely found in the children his age. In some way, he had been forced to forgo a normal childhood and grow up fast. Loneliness had been a constant companion, and Artemis would have been fated to live his life of arrogance and solitude had it not been for Holly.

Speaking of Holly, she had arrived now. Looking at her with bated breath, he watched her speak to the two girls before she gave in to her thoughts, a slightly dazed look growing in her eyes as her hand reached out to touch the red roses lovingly, a small smile tugging at her features. 

Artemis moved forward to observe her more closely, and accidentally rustled the leaves that displayed themselves before him, serving as the perfect obstruction for him to hide himself. Almost immediately, Holly's sharp sense of hearing caused her to snap back to reality like a taut rubber band. Her head shot up from where she had been looking last (which were the roses), and began on a mission to find out the source of the sound by turning this way and that. Fearful curiosity replaced the thoughtful look in those hazel eyes as Holly edged closer to the garden wall, and Artemis, feeling an obligation to rid the fairy of her morbid suspicions, began to speak.

"Fancy meeting you again, beautiful."

Holly's head jerked up towards his voice, but her eyes did not seem to register anything as she frowned and called out into the night, "Who are you?"

"Tsk, tsk, Captain Short. How could you forget?"

"_Artemis?_" she whispered, as if afraid to speak the name; as if afraid she was only hallucinating.

Artemis smirked and tossed his cigarette butt away. He calculated his velocity before leaping off the wall and landing on the grass.

"I knew your memory couldn't be all that bad, for weren't you the smartest Recon officer, Captain Short?" Artemis stepped out of the shadows and in front of her. "It's been years, Captain...but you still look as attractive as ever." He reached out to touch her face, but suddenly decided against it. "Oh yeah - I forgot - I should call you Mrs Kelp now, shouldn't I?" he said bitterly.

Holly seemed to cringe at the name.

"Things have changed, Artemis," Holly said simply.

"Yeah," was all Artemis said. Artemis leaned against the brick wall of the garden and merely stared at her.

"Why are you here?" Holly asked.

"I'm not supposed to be here?" Artemis countered.

"Technically, no. There's still that tension between you and the People and also because of..." Holly trailed off. It was as if somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to talk about the past. There was just too much unresolved tension.

"...Why are you here?" She repeated.

Artemis shrugged, looked at his shoes, and looked at her again. "I don't know. I presume...I kind of...missed you."

Something seemed to click in Holly's eyes as she suddenly grabbed Artemis by the hand and led him to a quiet place.

"There's been something I've been wanting to ask you, Artemis," Holly said solemnly, her hazel eyes pleading with his blue ones.

"What is it?" he asked.

Holly took a deep breath.

"I wish to be kidnapped...right away. Will you kidnap me? You had no qualms about doing it twelve years ago. Take me away," she said desperately, an urgent plea rising within her voice.

Artemis was flabbergasted. "But Holly, you're -"

"Married, I know. But I can't stand it anymore! I know everything, Artemis, you don't even have to explain. I know you came back for me. I know what Trouble did to you! Let's just leave it all behind!"

The idea was extremely tempting. Here she was, offering him the life of freedom and happiness they could both share, forgetting about the obstacles that had been placed between them by the external world. Yet Artemis found himself answering...

"No," Artemis said firmly, Root's words floating back into his head, imprinting themselves firmly in his mind. Holly could be happy now. It wasn't right to take it away from her, even if she wanted to be with him. She could never be happy with him, if he was in this destroyed state. She didn't know the complete truth. She only knew half of it. That was the real reason why he was here - not to take her away, but to tell her the other half, and let her get on with her life like she was meant to. "It's unconventional and I won't do it."

"Why not? We could go back like we used to be, we could be so happy!" Holly said, sounding frustrated.

"No, listen to me, Holly! You can't just run away like this!" Artemis cried, and brought out another cigarette, as he felt the onslaught of stress overwhelm him. It was always like this now, he got agitated so easily, and when faced with making an important decision, he always felt a need to reach for the cigarettes. He flicked the lighter and took a drag, before Holly snatched the cigarette out of his hands.

"When did you begin to smoke?!" she asked, shocked, stamping on the cigarette butt.

"That's no longer any of your business," Artemis mumbled.

"Are you rejecting me, Artemis?" Holly asked. "You're cutting me out of your life?"

"I'll tell you why I'm here, Holly. I admit, I did want to take you away at first, but it's not right. You're married now, you've found your eternal happiness, you probably even have a child, like Commander Root said."

"Yes, she's called Ophelia," Holly said softly, the aftermath of what Ophelia would feel if she left finally setting in. Guilt began to wrack her heart, and she hadn't even left with Artemis yet. Yet, Artemis didn't even want to take her with him. She found herself suddenly curious. Why? Why? Why?

"Can you really bear to leave everything you've built over the past seven years, jeopardizing your stable life just for a reckless affair with me?" Artemis challenged.

"I..." Holly found herself speechless.

Artemis gave her a sad, melancholic smile. "You see, Holly? It's not easy. The consequences will always outweigh just a moment of bliss that you wish to have."

"But I don't love Trouble," Holly said urgently. "I love...I love you."

"I would be sarcastic about that little confession right now, but seeing as you look sincere about it, I'm going to relish in it for a while," Artemis replied.

"Why are you pushing me away? I'm willing to leave with you, but why won't you accept it?" Holly asked, getting a little angry. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and he was blowing it. It reminded her of how he had blown his chance with her by leaving, by believing Trouble's words, whatever he said. It reminded her of how she had been forced to take Trouble's shoulder in a moment of depression when he offered it, clinging on to the sense of stability that he gave in a way Artemis did not.

"I'm not going to take you away with me, because it defeats the purpose of why I'm here in the first place!" Artemis yelled. "I came here to settle a few things. And to tell you that I'm....I'm..."

"You're what?! Peeing in your pants because you don't have the courage to tell me whatever it is you want to say?!" Holly retorted.

Artemis shook his head sadly. "I'm going to let that little jeer towards my ego slide. Holly, I'm..."

"Hurry up because I'm losing my patience with you!"

"I'm going to die, Holly."

**__**

Author's Note: I actually didn't want to reveal the truth so fast. Originally, I intended this story to be 27 chapters long, but after re-reading what I've written, I've decided that if I were to make it any longer, even I would fall asleep writing it. Artemis was supposed to only tell Holly the truth in Chapter 25, but I'm bringing it forward because I want to start work on my other fic. The romance has also gone far enough, and if I were to add anymore it would turn out very cliched. (Incidentally, I'd like to thank Blue Yeti for enlightening me that my quotes on love were quite corny. Sometimes, it's quite hard to write about love when even I myself still retain quite a childish view of it.) It's also becoming more and more like a soap opera. [For that comment, you have Deesse-De-Lune to thank. I love your brutal honesty. :)] So, there you go. This will be shortened to a 21-chapter story. Two more chapters to go, which I will probably put up before I go on holiday. (I know cliffhangers can be so evil.) Don't forget to review, only if you have something to say of course. Sometimes I read a story and I don't know what to put in a review, so it sometimes comes out very pointless and awkward. But that's just me.

Special note for Blue Yeti: Thank you for your ever-so-lengthy reviews. [which, after I read, gets me nicely dizzy :)] Nitpicking is all right in the Artemis Fowl section because there are many writers here who still need constructive criticism and mature opinions in order to improve their story. (Me, being one of them. I mean, I need people to nitpick my story to pieces so that my next one will turn out better.) You're not entirely right about my reaction. The moment I saw your name on the review, I didn't scream and run off crying. Actually, I screamed. Then my brain split and in a crazy/demented/retarded state, I began playing Neopets to torture myself, before I started to wonder what it was that I ever did to deserve evilly long reviews from you. :) 

But I'd like to congratulate you, your reviews have reached a word count of 802 words. Wow, even longer than some cliched AF fics here that I know. :) How is it that you can find so much to say? I wonder.


	20. Close To You

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Chapter Twenty: Close To You

"I'm...I'm going to die, Holly."

The bottom fell out of Holly's world, crashing to the ground with a sickening 'crunch'. She stood there, stunned, her heart suddenly numb with shock and disbelief. Her heart refused to register the truth. Doubt clouded her heart, polluting it, corrupting it, making it immune to anything that was to be heard next.

"You're lying," she said softly. "You're - You're only twenty-four. It's...it's not possible, you're so young! You're - you're nothing but a liar!" Holly shrieked.

Her words tore his heart apart. "Don't!" he said, closing his eyes. He hated himself for saying it, for hurting her with the truth. "Don't go on!"

"You're lying! I hate it when people lie!" Holly repeated, turning away from him, tears running down her face.

"I'm not, Holly, I'm not!" Artemis cried desperately, reaching for her. "I wouldn't have told you, except that I wanted to see you one last time, before I went. That's why I came back, Holly!"

"What kind of D'Arvit story is that?!" she yelled. "My grandmother could make things up better! I'm not going to listen to a liar like you!"

The sincerity in her eyes unnerved Holly. "Holly...listen to me!"

Holly shook her head, refusing to hear anymore. She turned to go, but the sincerity in his eyes persuaded her to stay.

"I'm giving you two minutes," she said coldly.

"Holly...do you really know why I left?"

"Because Trouble was jealous and he wanted to chase you away so that he could have me."

"No. Holly....I left of my own accord."

"WHAT?!" Holly said angrily. "How could you?!"

"No, wait, listen, Holly!" Artemis shouted, shaking her. He seemed desperate. "The party. Remember? Remember the party?" His call for her to listen to him was so urgent that he forsook his sentence structure.

"What about the party?" Holly asked, her own voice trembling. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what she was going to hear.

"Remember when Trouble was offering us drinks? And...and I asked for water...? In actuality, Trouble had put poison in it. He wanted me dead, because he didn't think I deserved you. But I...I didn't know, so I drank it. After the party, he pulled me aside and told me what he'd done. That he'd put a deadly poison in my water. It's the kind that works over a course of seven years...and he told me that I was definitely going to die. So he asked if I could bear to see you suffer with me! Tell me what I should have done, Holly, I loved you! I wanted you to have a happy life, and not to let my problem burden you! I wanted you to be happy....that's why I left, Holly! It's not because I didn't love you, I loved you too much, damn it!"

Holly was at a loss of words. "Rubbish!" she yelled. "Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish!"

Artemis gazed at her with wistful eyes. "Even I have accepted it...it's been seven years. I could die any moment, Holly. That's the truth."

Anguish began to replace the doubts harbouring in Holly's heart as reality began to sink in. Her chest hurt so badly it was almost as if heaving wouldn't even bring it back to its normal condition. Through sobs, she proclaimed, "Why couldn't you understand that I would have been here for you? I would have seen your condition with you all the way through!"

"It...it doesn't make a difference now, does it. It's too late," Artemis said bitterly, all hope having been banished from his mind. If only he hadn't drunk the water. If only he hadn't gone to the party. If only, if only, if only. Yet, all these 'if only's were much too late to ponder.

Holly realised that she should have known the truth about him all along. Looking at him, and knowing the things that she did, the weak state that he was in suddenly became a clearer picture in her mind. Her eyes took in every detail about him that she had missed out. How incredibly naive she had been. The symptoms had been there all along, the moment they had first met tonight. 

The severe weight loss. She had known that Artemis had always been scrawny, but even his face looked hollow and gaunt. The bags under his eyes, like someone who had not slept for years. The sudden cigarette smoking, in an obvious bid to calm his nerves, and not caring if it actually killed him in the process because he _was _already dying. Such lack of hope twisted Holly's heart even more. Yet, she was so blind to it all, so oblivious to the fact that his health was deteriorating. She should have taken a closer look, the moment she met him tonight. She should have, but she didn't. She could have, but she didn't. She would have, but she didn't. Immense guilt began to wrack her heart, pricking her conscience like a thousand needles.

"Oh god, no, you can't die," Holly said brokenly. She grabbed onto his arm, wishing she could rid the poison from his bloodstream. 

"Heal!" Holly cried, trying desperately to send blue sparks from her fingers. "Heal, D'Arvit!" she sobbed, clutching on to Artemis desperately. Artemis gave her a wistful smile, and peeled her fingers away from his arm. "It's not going to work, Holly," he said matter-of-factly, sounding resigned to his fate.

"No! I'm just not concentrating hard enough! You're going to live, Artemis, I'll make sure of it. You're not going to give in to the poison ravaging your body!" she screamed, the tears running freely down her face. She didn't care if she was exposing the vulnerable Holly to the public. She loved Artemis. Oh, how she loved him. "Heal!" she screamed, furious with herself. Artemis was going to die...he was going to die from oppressive poisoning and she couldn't even do a thing about it.

"Oh, Holly..." Artemis said sadly, pulling Holly into his arms and stroking her hair. He kissed the top of her head. "It kills me to see how you're tearing yourself apart for me. So don't do it, please."

"What does it matter? You're going to die anyway," she spat angrily, suddenly angry with the world. "It's so unfair! It's so unfair, Artemis!" she screamed. "You're only twenty-four, you have a whole life ahead of you....it's so unfair that you have to go and leave me behind! How do you suppose I can live...knowing...knowing I could have done something...!"

"What could you have done, Holly?" Artemis snickered. "Sucked the poison from my bloodstream?"

"I'm going home now...I'm going home to kill Trouble," Holly said, fierce determination and fury overwhelming her common sense. She got up quickly, and strode off towards her house.

"No, Holly...!" Artemis said behind her, trying to grab hold of her. But suddenly, the world around him began to spin furiously and the sounds which surrounded him became blurred. It began to be difficult trying to tell which noises belonged to which object. He felt strangely imbalanced, and uncoordinated. He seemed to be out of place in this world, trying to find his way through, but he would always be a step behind. Artemis felt his stomach churn, and his body lose composure.

Holly was too caught up in her new mission, her love for Artemis fuelling the anger within her. _How _dare _Trouble ruin Artemis like this, _she thought angrily. _How dare Trouble ruin everything between Artemis and me._

"Holly..." Artemis called out weakly, before he gave in to the dizziness overwhelming him and collapsed onto the ground. Holly, upon hearing her name, spun around that instant, and saw the dark-haired blue-eyed man on the ground, no longer moving. No spasms. No ligaments moving. Just lying there, as though he were dead. That thought made fear course through the fairy's veins as she screamed loudly, "Artemis!"

She didn't even dare to shake him, for fear of worsening his condition. But at this rate, Artemis could die any minute. Although he didn't look like he was suffering in his comatose stage, who knew if the poison wasn't rapidly rushing towards his heart, in order to cease his existence once and for all?

Holly placed a trembling hand on Artemis' cheek. It was so cold, like ice. Holly felt the chill from his body spread to her own spine, as unfounded fears that he could very well already be dead ate away sadistically at her mind.

"Please, Artemis. Please wake up. I have so much I haven't told you, you can't leave me like this, you've already robbed me of all my hopes and dreams...! Please! I'm begging you to wake up so I can at least tell you what I've been wanting to say all these years," Holly whispered, her voice shaking with intense emotion.

No answer. No sign of movement. No sign of life.

"I hate you," Holly said venomously, anger's austerely bitter arrows plunging themselves deep into her heart and burying themselves there. "I hate you for not even saying goodbye. I hate you because you just left me like that...Are you happy now? Are you completely free? Are you contented that you no longer have to bear the pain of having the poison ravaging your body? D'Arvit, are you happy because I'm _not!" _Holly sobbed.

Holly turned away from Artemis and cried despondently, cradling her head in her arms. Life was so unreasonable, to take so much out of her emotionally, constantly toying with her feelings. Making her happy one minute, and then drastically changing it into devastation. She hated life for making fun of her this way.

"You must think it's fun!" she screamed, to no one in particular, but at life itself. "To make fun of me like this! To make me believe in that stupid fantasy we call hope, only to find that I'm completely deluded! Do you hate my existence so much?!" she yelled angrily, mentally and physically exhausted. She felt cheated, she felt torn, she felt worthless. That she was just a form of entertainment to whoever thought up people's fates. That her existence was merely created from destiny's grudge. She began to wallow in her own misery when she heard something.

"Holly..." a weak voice called out behind her.

Holly straightened. _Could it be....? _she thought, and spun around excitedly.

Artemis was coughing, and trying to sit up slowly. He began to speak. "I'm sorry, that always happens out of the blue. It must be the effects of the poison and also because my time is almost -"

"Shhh," Holly said, wanting to keep him quiet. She didn't need him to remind her that his time was going to be up. She didn't want to think about it, she just wanted to keep him close to her, no matter how short the time was going to be. She didn't want to think about it. All she wanted to think about was keeping Artemis with her, cherishing what little moments they had left.

"Aren't you scared?" Holly asked quietly.

"Of what?" Artemis replied.

"...Death."

She heard Artemis let out a soft chuckle. "I have to admit, I was angry with Trouble for thinking up of such a devious plan. But sometimes, maybe I was meant to die this way...I think we're all put here for a purpose. When that purpose is served, there's nothing more to live for."

"And what was your purpose? To extort the fairies of their gold?" Holly said, with a tinge of sarcasm.

Artemis smiled, but it was a morose sort of smile. "I'm not sure myself. But maybe I've already fulfilled my obligation, and it's time for me to go."

She let Artemis embrace her as he wrapped his arms around her trembling body, letting him be her illusory source of comfort. Yes, it was all just an illusion, because she could never receive the comfort she truly needed to be healed of such a bad shock. It was going to be painful, to imagine life without Artemis.

Just the thought that she and Artemis had not even taken proper advantage of the past that had been given to them made her feel ashamed of herself for taking so many things for granted. She felt like she had wasted so much time with Artemis, and unfortunately, she had realised that too late in her existence. Now, the present would be the only time she would have. 

And the future, they would _never_ experience together.

**__**

Author's Note: The last chapter, which is actually an epilogue will be out tomorrow. And then you'll be FREE! Hahaha! Today I'm in a very benevolent mood so I shall reply to ALL my reviews.

lightning bug: Well, I was getting tired of writing this story, I have to admit. And yeah, I know it was boring. Which is why I'm going to end it soon.

flamaria13: Should you give me a 'Survivor' award or something since I've tolerated your reviews for so long? Just kidding. Sorry, I'm in a pretty weird mood today.

Eleida: Yes I know it's completely unoriginal. It rather reminds me of a soap opera actually. Haha :)

Blue Yeti: I see I have not been spared the Long Review Syndrome. :) Also, I'm sorry about the 'afternoon-check up' thing. When I'm writing about the fairies my sense of time gets completely mixed up so sometimes I don't even know what time of the day I'm writing about. I have got to get that little problem with my brain fixed. Urrrrgh.

Kelti: You liked my story? Thank you.

Red Moon Kree: It's not great a story, really. You should read Blue Yeti's "D'Arvit". Now that's a literary masterpiece. (Look at me! I'm shamelessly advertising again.)

Angel of the Storms: Yep, here's the chapter you've been waiting for.

Thanks for reviewing, one more chapter to go.


	21. Epilogue A Twist of Fate

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Epilogue - A Twist of Fate

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Years later

(Holly's point of view)

"So grandma...what happened to Artemis?" a preteen child with large hazel eyes asked curiously, a lopsided grin of interest locked on her face as she listened intently to her grandmother.

"If you hoping for any sort of miracle, I would have to disappoint you with a 'no'. Obviously whatever I did, or said, wasn't going to extract the poison from his bloodstream, so yes, death was inevitable," an older version of Holly Short said, her heart giving a slight twinge of melancholy as she answered her granddaughter's question. Her resemblance to her own daughter, Ophelia, was uncanny. It was probably why she loved the girl so much, as tenderly as she had loved Ophelia.

"You mean Artemis _died?_" Her granddaughter, so simply named Jill, spoke with the tone of immense disbelief.

"I'm afraid so, sweetheart," Holly said, allowing a moment of grievous pain to visibly distort her facial features, before she put on a brave smile on her slightly wrinkled face, just so she could show the world she was getting over it. But Holly Short would never get over it. The relationship with Artemis was something she would always keep as a part of her past; carefully buried, never mentioned, only serving as an incident to quietly reflect on, but nevertheless there.

"It must have hurt," Jill said softly, her eyes momentarily glistening with a kind of pain - for her grandmother.

Holly smiled, a wistful sort of smile, and contemplated the feelings she had when Artemis had passed on. There was no doubt in her mind that she had regretted being a fool and falling right into Trouble's trap, but if destiny had already written out records of their fates...who was she to stop it? There could be a thousand ways that she could be angry with the way things turned out...but in the end, the only thing left for you to do was to quietly accept the horrid things life threw at you. For how could you fight against something that was predestined, and unavoidable?

Holly then shook her head slowly, keeping her thoughts to herself. "Now it's time for bed, Jill, if your mother and father find out you were awake this late, let's just say you won't be seeing your grandmother tomorrow."

Smiling, Jill went up to her and kissed her cheek gently while stating, "Thank you for telling me that story, grandma. I'm never going to forget it." Since she was at that particular age, she had clamoured for her grandmother to tell her a romance story, to satisfy her curiosity about love itself. Holly, although reluctant to share something so personal to her with her own grandchild, had relented in the end...for a true story is always easier to relate to than a fictitious one.

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I didn't divorce Trouble, like I should have. I suppose I had just given up on life's cruelty, and was tired of fighting back. Even though Trouble had completely destroyed that happiness that I could have experienced with Artemis, one thing came to my mind that I could never erase, no matter how much I wanted to. For it is love that drives people to obsession...and if Trouble hadn't loved me so much, he wouldn't have done the things he did.

So why did I love Artemis so much? No doubt, Trouble loved me more than I deserved to be loved, but in the end, my heart still belonged with Artemis, and the decision is something that is not to be contested. 

Everything that passed between us was completely natural, and every word that flowed from my mouth was something that I meant deep down inside. We complimented each other perfectly, as shown in the way he would shoot a seemingly nasty remark at me and I would always be ready with a comeback.

While Trouble gave me a sense of stability, Artemis made me experience extreme emotions. With him, it was always an emotional roller-coaster. I could be severely angry with him at one moment and love him affectionately the next, so there was always that something unpredictable in our relationship. It was something that I missed having in my life when Artemis left. Even though I appreciated how stable my life became when I married Trouble, and how he would always be a steady rock to depend and hold on to in a storm, I could never love him the way I loved Artemis. Artemis gave me a reason to want to change...a reason to want to be different. He always held a part of my heart, no matter how much of that small fact I wanted to ignore.

I remember when Artemis said that he was put on Earth for a purpose, and because he had already fulfilled his purpose, it was time for him to go. Back then, he didn't know what that purpose was, but I think I should answer that for him. I think his purpose on Earth was to change my life for the better, no matter how short the bliss we shared was. 

Every night, I still close my eyes and think of him. It's funny how he's everywhere to me, watching over me, reminding me of the love we shared and the emotions he made me feel. I know it's a sign.

I know it's a sign that I won't be alone, that even if there comes another unexpected twist of fate, he'll be there with me to overcome it, and that he's waiting for that one day where he and I will be reunited just like before.

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The End

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Author's Note: I can't believe it's the last chapter already. 133 pages on Microsoft Word, the longest story I've ever done and completed. But I guess there must always be a beginning and an end. You can't imagine how much soul I've poured into this, so much so that if Voldemort were to take over this piece, he would be able to take control of me. [All right, I'll stop the stupid Harry Potter jokes. :)] It may not have been enjoyable the whole story throughout, and even I began to grow doubtful towards the end, on whether I should complete it or not, but fortunately, the relentless side of me won out. Thank you all for being so patient, and supporting me throughout this. My first A.F. fic, completed! I'm also currently working on a new one which I will post when I get back from my vacation. Once again, thank you!


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